ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Air Quality

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to monitor the prevalence of particulate matter below 2.5 microns as part of her Department's air quality strategy.

Alun Michael: As part of the Air Quality Strategy review, Defra will be considering the most appropriate approach for monitoring PM 1 0 and PM2.5.
	Defra keeps under review PM2.5 monitoring and the need for possible improvements. The Air Quality Expert Group is due to publish a draft report for comment this summer on particulate matter in the UK. This will include an assessment of PM 1 0 and PM2.5 levels in the UK and recommendations concerning monitoring. The Air Quality Expert Group report will also feed into the review of the Air Quality Strategy.
	In addition, there are developments in Europe under Clean Air For Europe on particulate matter which will also feed into the review of the Air Quality Strategy. These include a reconsideration of the number of PM2.5 monitoring sites in each member state.

Community Transport Fund

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the criteria are against which bids for the Community Transport Fund are assessed.

Alun Michael: Bids for the Rural Transport Partnership Scheme which is run by the Countryside Agency on behalf of Defra are assessed against the following criteria:
	1. Community and partner support
	That the application has a wide measure of local support.
	That the application will cater primarily for the needs of rural areas or rural residents and integrate these with the needs of visitors.
	2. Transport needs
	That the project will meet an identified transport need. This will be assessed by examination of the evidence of need provided in the proposal, the scale and nature of research and consultation undertaken, the Countryside Agency Officer's existing knowledge of the area and their consultation with representatives of key organisations working there.
	The project will not be to the detriment of other rural services and will not compete significantly with other transport services or facilities.
	The project is unlikely to proceed without assistance from the Rural Transport Partnership.
	3. Financial viability
	That the application represents best value for money.
	The value for money of the proposal in terms of its unit costs and in terms of the additionality obtained by the local transport network in return for the investment requested, or any other relevant factors.
	(For project applications) that it is likely to be socially, environmentally or financially viable by the time the funding from the Countryside Agency ceases. Ideally, all projects should seek to break even by at least the end of the funding period, although it is often found that during the early years of operation there is a deficit, i.e. receipts do not cover costs. For non-profit making schemes, with costs often provided on an ongoing basis in kind, from fund-raising or from grants, commercial viability is not so important.
	However, it should be possible to establish evidence of the economic or social benefits of such schemes over time and it is expected that this will be used to justify continued funding.
	The proportion of the total capital and revenue costs requested from the Countryside Agency (grant rate) and the leverage on other funds obtained from this.
	That there is a firm funding commitment from other funding bodies.
	4. Strategic considerations
	How well the application fits the overall aim of the RTP scheme.
	The aims and objectives of the proposal and how these link with those of Defra and the Countryside Agency. Bids are particularly encouraged for projects that meet vital villages, market towns and wider welcome programme objectives. As a guide the following groups denote whether a project will be classified as a vital village, market towns or wider welcome project.
	Vital Villages—transport projects which meet a locally identified transport need, or relate to the provision of access to locally provided services. Particularly favoured projects are those which address issues of social exclusion.
	Market Towns—transport projects which enhance the role of an area as a service hub. Particularly favoured projects are these which have a close relationship to prioritised market towns and the health check process.
	Wider Welcome—transport projects related to recreation and tourism with a rural destination. Particularly favoured projects are those with an emphasis on sustainable development, or links to other Countryside Agency interests and initiatives.
	The degree to which the proposal relates to regional and local policy.
	The implications of not providing funding support for the proposal.
	5. Technical viability
	The expected benefits of the proposal.
	The competence of the applicant (and fund holder, if different) to implement, manage and administer the proposal.
	How the proposal will be implemented and its development strategy.
	The arrangements made for monitoring and evaluation.
	6. Additional criteria
	In April 2003 an additional criterion was added:
	Should target areas suffering from deprivation.

Air Routes

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the (a) routes and (b) airlines which operate each route on which it is permitted for dogs and cats to travel in the passenger cabin.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 26May 2004
	Guide and hearing dogs only may be transported in the cabin under the Pet Travel Scheme on the following routes and airlines:
	Cyprus
	Larnaca to London Gatwick: Britannia Airways
	Paphos to London Gatwick: Britannia Airways
	France
	Paris (Charles de Gaulle) to London Heathrow: BMI British Midland
	Germany
	Frankfurt to London Heathrow: Lufthansa
	Malta
	Valletta to London Gatwick: Britannia Airways
	Netherlands
	Amsterdam (Schiphol) to London Heathrow: BMI British Midland
	Portugal
	Faro to London Gatwick: Britannia Airways
	Spain
	Alicante to London Gatwick: Britannia Airways
	Almeria to London Gatwick: Britannia Airways
	Arrecife to London Gatwick: Britannia Airways
	Fuerteventura to London Gatwick: Britannia Airways
	Las Palmas to London Gatwick: Britannia Airways
	Madrid to London Heathrow: BMI British Midland
	Malaga to London Gatwick: Britannia Airways
	Palma, Majorca to London Gatwick: Britannia Airways
	Palma, Majorca to London Heathrow: BMI British Midland
	Tenerife South, Canary Islands to London Gatwick: Britannia Airways
	No route is approved to carry cats in the cabin at present.

Asbestos

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether conformity with the provisions of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 is (a) included and (b) to be included in the cross-compliance requirements of the Mid-Term Common Agricultural Policy Review.

Alun Michael: The Carcinogens Directive, partly implemented in the UK by the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002, is not included in the final list of 19 Directives/requirements which form the list of Statutory Management Requirements (SMR) for cross compliance.
	The Carcinogens Directive was included in the original list of 38 possible SMRs. The UK supported the retention of Health and Safety Directives in cross compliance but as a result of the negotiations the European Commission reduced the list and the Health and Safety Directives, including the Carcinogens Directive, were removed. The Commission will undertake a review of cross compliance requirements in 2007.

Cattle Passports

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much taxpayers' money was spent by the British Cattle Movement Service replacing sets of labels for cattle passports.

Alun Michael: The exercise referred to will lead to a net saving of £73,000 over the next two years. In April 2004, the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) issued new sets of labels printed with farm details to all cattle keepers to replace labels they already had, some of which were issued five years ago. This exercise cost £67,000 and the BCMS estimate that it will save £140,000 over the next two years by reducing the verification and error correction costs arising because faded ink on the old label could not be read properly by their scanning system. The exercise was part of a continuing drive to improve quality and reduce costs.

Ceramics Industry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she is expecting to make appropriate information available to enable the UK ceramics industry to decide whether to opt in or out of Phase I of the European Emissions Trading Scheme.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 7 June 2004
	The EU Emissions Trading Scheme provides for member states to apply for temporary exclusion from the first phase of the scheme for installations covered by national measures, provided that they satisfy the equivalence criteria set out in the Directive.
	The ceramics industry is currently covered by a Climate Change Agreement and therefore operators within this sector may potentially apply for temporary exclusion. We have approached the European Commission to ask for their views on an application for temporary exclusion for Climate Change Agreement holders. We are continuing to work with the ceramics industry and others, to settle outstanding issues regarding the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  when she expects to reply to the letter to her of 17 February from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire;
	(2)  when the hon. Member for West Worcestershire will receive a response to his letter of 30 March, reference 196782.

Alun Michael: My noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (The Lord Whitty), responded to the hon. Member's letter of 17 February on Biofuels on 27 February. I responded to the hon. Member's letter of 17 February on the live export of horses and ponies on 2 April and to the letter of 30 March on the Single Farm Payments Scheme on 8 June.

EC Water Framework Directive

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of surface waters will be covered by the Environment Agency's river basin characterisation report under the EC Water Framework Directive (a) within the Ribble catchment and (b) in England and Wales.

Elliot Morley: The Agency has taken a river catchment approach to characterisation and risk assessment. All river catchments have been assessed in England and Wales, including the River Ribble. This included 433 lakes, all groundwaters in aquifers and all coastal waters and estuaries.

EC Water Framework Directive

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to refine the Environment Agency's river basin characterisation report under the EC Water Framework Directive to ensure that it includes representative samples of small water bodies in each catchment.

Elliot Morley: The Agency will follow the guidance on small waters provided by the UK Technical Advisory Group on Water Framework Directive in refining the characterisation work on small water bodies. This refinement will happen progressively during the river basin planning process from January 2005.

EC Water Framework Directive

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether mechanisms to ensure full integration between land use planning and river basin management planning under the EC Water Framework Directive will be piloted in the Ribble;
	(2)  how she will ensure that land use planning is sufficiently integrated with river basin management planning under the EC Water Framework Directive; and how conflicts will be resolved if the two statutory plans are at odds with each other.

Elliot Morley: Defra and the Environment Agency are currently working with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Local Government Association on the relationship between land use planning and river basin management planning, including how conflicts between the two statutory plans could arise and how such conflicts might be avoided or resolved. EC Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment (usually referred to as the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive) will be an important vehicle for integration in this context.
	As part of this work the Environment Agency proposes to look at a number of case studies to help understand how the systems will interrelate: these may include the Ribble.

EC Water Framework Directive

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms the Environment Agency has established to make use of data on the water environment held by non-governmental organisations as part of its characterisation and risk assessment process under the EC Water Framework Directive.

Elliot Morley: The draft outputs of initial characterisation will be published in September 2004 for public review. External stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations, will be invited at that point to propose data for use in future refinement and validation of the characterisation work which will take place from 2004 onwards.

EC Water Framework Directive

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department plans to consult on the Environment Agency's river basin characterisation report under the EC Water Framework Directive; and what discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive about its consultation process on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's characterisation report.

Elliot Morley: The risk assessment outputs from the Environment Agency's river basin characterisation process will be available for public review from September 2004. There will not be a formal consultation on this issue.
	Defra has been in discussion with the Environment Agency, the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency with respect to the river basin characterisation report and the consultation process. The Scottish Executive and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency have decided to undertake a formal consultation, beginning in July 2004.

Energy Efficiency

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outturn budget was that she and her predecessors supplied to fund the Energy Saving Trust in each year from 1997–98 to 2004–05, expressed in April 2004 money.

Elliot Morley: Defra outturn budgets (rounded to the nearest £ million) for the Energy Saving Trust in each year were converted to 2004–05 money using HM Treasury GDP Deflator.
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1998–99 22 
			 1999–2000 26 
			 2000–01 25 
			 2001–02 26 
			 2002–03 25 
			 2003–04 25 
		
	
	Figures for 1997–98 cannot be immediately provided. I will write to Mr. Baker as soon as this information is available. The EST's outturn for 2004–05 will not be known until after the end of the current financial year, but they have been offered Defra grant funding of about £24 million.

Energy Efficiency

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funds she supplied for the Warm Front programme in 2001–02, expressed in April 2004 money; and what the budget for the Warm Front programme is for 2004–05.

Elliot Morley: The Warm Front budget in 2001–2 was £152 million. Due to a carry over of £45 million from 2000–01, the final budget was £97 million.
	In 2004, the £152 million would equate to approximately £164 million and the £197 million to £214 million.
	Funding for the current financial year for fuel poverty will be around £166 million.

Energy Efficiency (Stoke)

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Stoke-on-Trent, North have benefited from the Home Energy Efficiency/Warm Front Scheme.

Elliot Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 3,300 households in Stoke-on-Trent, North received assistance from the scheme.

Farm Subsidies

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what proportion of farm holdings in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Ireland are in (i) the moorland area of severely disadvantaged areas (SDA), (ii) the remainder of SDA and (iii) the rest of the country for the purposes of eligibility for single farm payments.

Alun Michael: The information requested is not currently available as entitlements to subsidy will be allocated on the basis of claims made by farmers in 2005. However, the latest information currently available for England is based on Integrated Administration and Control System Scheme applications in 2003, the figures are as follows:
	(i) Number and proportion of applications who have the majority of land within the moorland line within the Severely Disadvantaged Area equals 1,210 holdings, 1.81 per cent. of total number of holdings;
	(ii) Number and proportion of applications who have the majority of land within the Severely Disadvantaged Area equals 7,216 holdings, 10.79 per cent. of total number of holdings;
	(iii) Number and proportion of applications that have the majority of land outside the Severely Disadvantaged Area equals 58,427 holdings, 87.40 per cent. of total number of holdings.
	It should be emphasised that the criteria used here is where the majority of the applicant's land falls within one of the three categories. The procedures for the allocation to regions have still to be finalised.
	The information for other countries within the UK is a matter for their devolved assemblies.

Fuel Poverty (Gas Supplies)

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate the Government have made of the effect of an extension of the mains gas network to areas of England without such provision on the extent of fuel poverty; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department estimates that, based on figures for 2001, around 450,000 vulnerable, fuel poor households lacked access to mains gas, and that around 180,000 of those households might feasibly be connected to the mains gas network. The Department has been considering the possibility of funding for a programme to provide connection to deprived communities without mains gas. The Design and Demonstration Unit, which is based in DTI and designs and develops projects in support of White Paper objectives, has completed two pathfinder projects to provide gas connections to deprived communities, and is currently working on a third. It hopes to undertake more projects during 2004–05.

Global Food Production

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on global food production of global warming.

Elliot Morley: The Department funded an assessment of the impact of global warming on global food production using scenarios developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to characterise a range of possible global development pathways over the 21st century. A report was published in the journal "Global Environmental Change" in April 2004.
	The work showed that the development scenario leading to the greatest increase in global temperature resulted in the greatest decreases both regionally and globally in crop yields. The world appears to be able to continue to feed itself under these scenarios during the rest of this century, but only through production in developed countries compensating for declines projected mainly in developing nations. Regional differences in crop production are likely to grow stronger over time, with substantial increases in prices and risk of hunger among the poorer nations.
	There is considerable complexity in the world food supply system, and the impact of socio-economic developments could also be substantial, with the potential at the regional level to both increase or decrease yields.
	Copies of the journal issue containing the report have been placed in both Libraries.

GM Crops

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether, for future growings of Chardon LL to take place in the UK, (a) farmers and (b) Bayer CropScience will be obliged to replicate not only herbicide use but also the herbicide concentrations, management practices and other parameters following the farm scale GM maize trials.

Elliot Morley: Chardon LL is a variety of GM maize carrying the GM event T25 from Bayer CropScience. In March the company announced that it was not proceeding with commercialisation of this variety in Europe, so it will not be grown in the UK.

GM Crops

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the variations are in the conditions to the Part C consent for Chardon LL, which she has submitted for consideration by the French competent authority.

Elliot Morley: Chardon LL is a variety of GM maize carrying the GM event T25 from Bayer CropScience, which was granted a consent in 1998 under part C of Directive 90/220 by the relevant French competent authority on behalf of all EU member states.
	On 9 March 2004, officials wrote to the French Competent Authority seeking amendments to this consent to limit herbicide use with the crop in line with advice from the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment. A copy of the letter to the French Competent Authority has been published on the Defra website and placed on the GM public register.

Official Vehicles

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of official vehicles used by her Department are run on (a) petrol, (b) diesel, (c) liquid petroleum gas and (d) compressed natural gas.

Alun Michael: The percentage breakdown of official vehicles used by Defra at 1 April 2003 was: (a) petrol—5 per cent., (b) diesel—92 per cent., (c) liquid petroleum gas—3 per cent., and (d) compressed natural gas—0 per cent. Data are currently being collected on the situation at 1 April 2004. They will be placed in the Library of the House when they are available. Recent developments include use of electric vehicles, for instance.

Pollutant Particles

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she has taken to improve the detection of the pollutant particles found in the PM2.5 range.

Alun Michael: Defra has monitored particles found in the PM2.5 range at seven locations in England since 1998. Results are available on Defra's air quality website: www.airquality.co.uk There are also a number of additional PM2.5 monitors in England funded by other organisations such as local authorities, the Highways Agency and electricity supply companies.
	The Department keeps under review PM2.5 monitoring and the need for possible improvements. The Air Quality Expert Group is due to publish a draft report for comment this summer on particulate matter in the UK. This will include an assessment of PM 1 0 and PM2.5 levels in the UK and recommendations concerning monitoring.

Pollution

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated levels of (a) emissions and (b) removals were for (i) hydrofluorocarbons, (ii) perfluorocarbons and (iii) sulphurhexafluoride in each year from 1990 to 2002, expressed in (A) unit tonnes and (B) thousand tonne carbon dioxide equivalents.

Elliot Morley: The following tables show the estimated emissions for these gases in (A) tonnes and (B) thousand tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent, as published in the latest UK Greenhouse gas inventory, released in April 2004. There are no removals of these gases estimated in the UK inventory.
	
		(A) Emissions of HFCs, PFCs, SF6 in tonnes
		
			  1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 
		
		
			 HFC 973.9 1,022.8 1,064.0 1,231.0 1,588.5 2,155.3 
			 PFC 204.0 170.0 81.8 68.7 67.5 63.4 
			 SF6 45.3 47.3 49.2 51.0 51.7 54.0 
		
	
	
		
			  1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 HFC 2,762.9 3,644.9 4,233.7 3,822.8 4,128.6 4,646.9 5,267.6 
			 PFC 68.3 61.1 60.1 60.2 73.5 60.2 52.5 
			 SF6 55.2 53.4 54.9 61.6 77.5 61.0 66.7 
		
	
	
		(B) Emissions of HFCs, PFCs, SF6 in thousand tonne carbon dioxide equivalent
		
			  1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 
		
		
			 HFC 11,375.4 11,854.0 12,323.5 12,999.9 14,009.7 15,490.9 
			 PFC 1,393.7 1,164.2 570.7 485.2 481.2 457.4 
			 SF6 1,081.9 1,130.4 1,176.2 1,219.2 1,235.0 1,291.3 
		
	
	
		
			  1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 HFC 16,720.1 19,181.4 17,268.0 10,829.9 9,081.3 9,727.5 10,418.3 
			 PFC 496.3 450.1 441.1 446.3 541.4 437.5 383.5 
			 SF6 1,318.6 1,275.1 1,311.8 1,472.3 1,852.1 1,457.5 1,594.0

Pollution

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps her Department has taken to measure the leakage of (a) hydrofluorocarbons, (b) perfluorocarbons and (c) sulphurhexafluoride from appliances in the UK;
	(2)  if the Department will take steps to improve the (a) quality and (b) quantity of independent monitoring of the leakage of hydrofluorocarbons.

Elliot Morley: Defra commissioned a study from AEA Technology as independent contractors to estimate annual UK emissions of hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride. The final report was published in July 2003. The report estimated emissions from a range of appliances that contain these chemicals. Leakage rates were estimated drawing on information obtained through consultation with UK industry and NGOs and leakage rates published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
	The report represents the best possible estimates of hydrofluorocarbons that could be made at that time. My Department will continue to keep under review the scope for obtaining better estimates and the timing of any such work.

Pollution

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken to improve the containment of fluorinated gases; what funding has been made available for such containment in each year since 1997; what reduction there has been in the leakage of these gases as a result of these steps; and how the effects of these steps have been (a) assessed and (b) recorded.

Elliot Morley: Reductions in emissions of fluorinated gases have to date largely been driven by technological development and voluntary action by industry. Based on best estimates, total UK emissions fell from 17,240 kt CO 2 equivalent in 1995 to about 11,475 kt CO 2 in 2000. Emissions are expected to increase again to about 13,242 kt equivalent by 2005 and then steadily decrease to about 10,369 kt CO 2 in 2025.
	The proposed EC Regulation on fluorinated gases will introduce EU wide controls on certain uses of fluorinated gases, as well as provisions relating to containment and recovery.

Pollution

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress made by her Department in reducing the leakage of hydrofluorocarbons from refrigerators.

Elliot Morley: Based on information in a study commissioned by Defra and published in 2003, the percentage of new domestic refrigerators using hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) is expected to decrease to 10 per cent. by 2005 and to 5 per cent. by 2010, following a switch to hydrocarbon based refrigerants. HFCs in refrigerators are recovered for destruction under existing arrangements for disposing of waste fridges.
	The proposed EC Regulation on fluorinated gases will introduce EU wide provisions relating to leakage testing of commercial scale stationary refrigeration equipment. Subject to a text being finalised, further measures will address the need to repair detected leakage as soon as possible. Other provisions will require training and certification programmes to be established for those servicing refrigerators and for records to be kept. The Government believe that these provisions will provide a valuable framework for addressing HFC leakages in the commercial refrigeration sector.

Water

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether all sites of special scientific interest within the Ribble area will be included in the Environment Agency's characterisation and risk assessment process under the EC Water Framework Directive.

Elliot Morley: If the SSSIs are water bodies or contain water bodies then they will be included in the characterisation and risk assessment process.

Water Supplies (Aldershot)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent research she has commissioned into the adequacy of water supplies in the Aldershot area to serve releases of Ministry of Defence land for residential purposes.

Elliot Morley: Aldershot is served by South East Water. Along with the other water supply companies, South East Water produces a water resources plan, which looks forward 25 years. The plan is updated annually by the company, and is reviewed by the Environment Agency for consistency with the national and regional water resources strategies. Any planned residential developments in the area will be factored into this process.

World Environment Day

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how (a) she, (b) her Department and (c) agencies for which her Department is responsible will be marking World Environment Day on 5 June; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Defra and colleague Departments worked together with the Environment Agency on a campaign to mark World Environment Day. This included asking members of the public to sign "the Pledge to the Future" to identify ways they can improve their local environment, and a publicity campaign by the Environment Agency on how businesses can make their organisations more sustainable.
	Defra Ministers also participated in the launch of London Environmental Week to mark World Environment Day.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Concessionary Television Licences

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on preserved rights to concessionary television licences for people in sheltered and community housing.

Estelle Morris: Preserved rights for existing beneficiaries of the Accommodation for Residential Care concessionary television licence, in cases where their accommodation ceases to meet the existing qualifying criteria but continues to be provided or managed by a local authority, a housing association or a development corporation, were introduced in April 2003.

Digital Radio

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has in conjunction with Ofcom to facilitate transition to digital radio broadcasting.

Estelle Morris: Section 67 of the Broadcasting Act 1996 requires the Secretary of State to keep under review the development of digital radio for the purposes of considering how long it would be appropriate for sound broadcasting services to be provided in analogue form. As required by the Act, she has asked Ofcom and the BBC to provide reports by 31 October which look at the current position and future prospects for: the provision of radio multiplex services; the availability of digital sound programme services and existing analogue services in digital form; and the ownership or possession of equipment capable of receiving digital sound services. A number of other industry bodies have also been asked to submit any comments they wish to make.

Libraries

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what impact the People's Network project has had on library visits; and if she will make a statement.

Estelle Morris: The People's Network has linked all but a handful of the UK's public libraries to the internet. Recent figures published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy show that visits to UK public libraries increased by nearly 5 million, over the previous year, to 323 million in 2002–03 (before provision of the People's Network had been completed). Alongside other activities that are attracting more users, such as dedicated reader development work, the introduction of the People's Network is already making major contribution to the increase in visits. Research suggests that many positive impacts are being felt in communities across the country: people are learning new basic skills, finding community information which would not otherwise be provided, and finding jobs.

Libraries

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money was spent on library (a) buildings and (b) books in (i) Merseyside and (ii) Crosby in each year since 1996.

Estelle Morris: Information on Merseyside's and Sefton borough council's expenditure on (a) buildings and (b) books is contained in the two tables. These figures are derived from the most recent information available in the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy annual public libraries statistics, copies of which are held in the House of Commons Library.
	We are not able to provide a breakdown of expenditure for Crosby, as figures are not broken down beyond the level of individual library authorities, but we have included the figures for Sefton Library Authority, which encompasses Crosby.
	
		Expenditure on library premises -- £
		
			  Merseyside Sefton 
		
		
			 1996–97 2,656,851 325,333 
			 1997–98 2,859,199 335,990 
			 1998–99 3,056,140 343,513 
			 1999–2000 (1)2,596,443 343,706 
			 2000–01 2,869,567 306,555 
			 2001–02 3,326,071 341,015 
		
	
	
		Expenditure on books -- £
		
			  Merseyside Sefton 
		
		
			 1996–97 (2)3,147,541 (2)539,131 
			 1997–98 2,035,712 508,464 
			 1998–99 2,409,468 510,092 
			 1999–2000 (1)2,077,856 507,239 
			 2000–01 2,930,521 799,048 
			 2001–02 2,651,235 516,475 
		
	
	(1) Figures for Knowsley Library Authority are not included in the 1999–2000 figures for Merseyside.
	(2) Figures for 1996–97 incorporate expenditure on a wider range of products and services defined as "book purchasing" than in subsequent years when this definition was refined.

Libraries

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money has been spent on the digitisation of content in libraries in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale since 1997.

Estelle Morris: This information is not held centrally.
	The New Opportunities Fund £50 million Digitisation of Learning Materials Programme has delivered 150 projects across the UK to enable resources which support learning of all kinds held in libraries as well as museums, archives and other public-sector institutions, to be made available online through the People's Network and the National Grid for Learning. This initiative has created a body of material containing over 2 million images, tens of thousands of sound and video clips and documents and over 1,000 learning packages. All projects can be accessed via the EnrichUK portal at http://www.enrichuk.net.
	Information on grants awarded to individual local authorities and their expenditure can be obtained from the relevant authority.

PRIME MINISTER

Butler Inquiry

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to receive the report of the Butler Inquiry.

Tony Blair: I have asked the Review to report before the summer recess.

Departmental Staff

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Prime Minister what the total amount paid by his Office to employment agencies for the supply of temporary staff was in financial year 2003–04.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 4 March 2004, Official Report, column 1094W.

G8 Summit

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what matters in respect of (a) sustainable development, (b) climate change and (c) nuclear non-proliferation, were discussed at the G8 summit in Sea Island, Georgia; and if he will place in the Library papers circulated at the summit in respect of these matters.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I gave to the House on the G8 summit today.

India

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister what contact he has had with the new Prime Minister of India; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) on 24 May 2004, Official Report, column 1365W.

Iraq

Clare Short: To ask the Prime Minister whether the interim Iraqi authority will have the power to demand the withdrawal of UK troops at whatever time they might wish.

Tony Blair: On 30 June, full sovereignty will be handed over to the Interim Iraqi Government and the Multinational Force will remain with the consent of that Government.
	UN Security Council Resolution 1546, passed unanimously on 8 June, makes clear that the Multinational Force mandate will be terminated if so requested by the Government of Iraq.

Iraq

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Prime Minister whether the Iraq Survey Group has investigated the accuracy of the Iraq Government's disclosure in December 2002 in response to UNSC Resolution 1441; and whether its final report will include an account of these investigations.

Tony Blair: The Iraq Survey Group is examining information from a wide range of sources, including the declaration made by Iraq in December 2002. The work of the Iraq Survey Group is ongoing and a final report has yet to be produced.

Meetings (Minutes)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to establish civil service-wide guidance on which meetings involving Ministers and civil servants should be minuted.

Tony Blair: The Cabinet Office is currently updating existing guidance on private office records. The revised guidance will be issued to all Departments shortly, and will be placed on the Cabinet Office and The National Archives websites.

Regulation

Archie Norman: To ask the Prime Minister what meetings of the Panel for Regulatory Accountability (a) he has attended since March and (b) he is scheduled to attend in the next 12 months.

Tony Blair: I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues and others on a wide range of subjects, including on regulation and will continue to do so. As with previous Administrations it is not my practice to provide details of all such meetings under exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Royal Bounty and Charity Funds

Evan Harris: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what reserves are in the (a) Royal Bounty Fund and (b) Royal Charity Fund;
	(2)  what disbursements have been made from the (a) Royal Bounty Fund and (b) Royal Charity Fund since 1997; and who the recipients were.

Tony Blair: As at 31 December 2003, the assets of the Royal Bounty and Special Services Fund were £191,500, and the assets of the Royal Charity Fund were £1,400.
	Since 1 January 1997 payments of £201,300 have been made from the Royal Bounty and Special Services Fund, and £4,450 from the Royal Charity Fund.
	In accordance with exemption 12 of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, details of recipients are exempt from disclosure in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister when he expects the Iraq Survey Group to complete its search for weapons of mass destruction.

Tony Blair: The work of the Iraq Survey Group is ongoing.

Yemen

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to meet the President of Yemen.

Tony Blair: I met the President of Yemen with other G8 leaders at the recent G8 summit on Sea Island to discuss reform in the Middle East.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Strangers Bar

Ken Purchase: To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee if he will make a statement on the change in arrangements relating to the locking of the door between Strangers Bar and the Terrace; and what assessment he has made of the implications of the new arrangements for (a) convenience of access for hon. Members and (b) emergency evacuation in the event of a fire.

Dennis Turner: As one of a number of measures to enhance security in the House of Commons, the Speaker instructed the Serjeant at Arms to lock the door between Strangers' Bar and the Terrace. A quick release lock is being fitted to the door as a matter of urgency; meanwhile, I understand that the Fire Safety Manager is content with the temporary arrangements in place for emergency evacuation in the event of a fire. Hon. Members may get to the Terrace by the entrance next to the Cafeteria.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Portcullis House

Martyn Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission how many full-scale evacuations of Portcullis House have been held since the building was opened; and on what dates and at what times.

Archy Kirkwood: The number of fire evacuations of Portcullis House is 31. The dates and times are as follows:
	
		
			 Date Time 
		
		
			 5 October 2000 15:03 
			 13 October 2000 11:08 
			 13 October 2000 21:46 
			 7 December 2000 16:48 
			 7 April 2001 14:14 
			 1 June 2001 06:51 
			 6 August 2001 15:01 
			 22 October 2001 08:07 
			 26 October 2001 12:27 
			 4 December 2001 10:20 
			 20 March 2002 22:22 
			 November April 2002 06:39 
			 13 April 2002 03:08 
			 22 October 2002 15:13 
			 28 October 2002 19:22 
			 2 November 2002 10:35 
			 23 November 2002 16:59 
			 5 December 2002 20:24 
			 16 December 2002 09:36 
			 19 February 2003 11:50 
			 27 March 2003 08:38 
			 6 May 2003 11:44 
			 14 July 2003 20:00 
			 19 December 2003 10:30 
			 09 January 2004 18:25 
			 20 January 2004 22:36 
			 7 February 2004 09:47 
			 9 February 2004 16:49 
			 3 March 2004 13:51 
			 21 March 2004 13:17 
			 1 April 2004 05:19 
		
	
	During the early months of occupation of Portcullis House a large number of evacuations were due to over-sensitive sensors.
	The number of unnecessary alarms and evacuations have been reduced; so far in 2004, evacuations have been for genuine, if minor, incidents.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Archaeological Objects

Richard Allan: To ask the Solicitor-General what action she intends to take following the decision not to proceed with the case against Mr. Robert Duqueria for the alleged removal of objects from the scheduled site of Cunetio in Wiltshire; and if she will issue new guidance on prosecutions for such removals to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Harriet Harman: I have already received and considered a detailed report from CPS Wiltshire concerning the case against Mr. Robert Duqueria who was charged with removing 25 Roman coins and three artefacts from a protected site following a police investigation including obtaining expert evidence. The CPS subsequently received a defence expert report which cast reasonable doubt on the evidence that the coins came from a protected site as opposed to a nearby site where permission may have been granted in any event.
	Prosecutions of this nature are relatively rare and may well demand appropriate expert evidence depending on the facts of the individual case. In this case all possible avenues were pursued and the case was correctly reviewed in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
	I am, therefore, satisfied that there is no need to take any further action in this case.
	In addition, there is no basis for concluding that the outcome of this particular case would have been affected by the availability of further guidance for prosecutions for such removals. The issues were clear and the case was dealt with correctly. Nevertheless, in view of its importance, I have asked the CPS to consider developing guidance on the subject as part of its electronic Legal Guidance.

Crown Prosecution Service

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Solicitor-General how many trained specialists there are in Merseyside Crown Prosecution Service dealing with victims of (a) domestic violence, (b) rape and (c) child abuse.

Harriet Harman: All prosecutors in CPS Merseyside deal with domestic violence cases. Last year a compulsory refresher course was run, following the introduction of the new CPS policy on these cases. The training was delivered to 60 Crown prosecutors and to police officers with help from Sefton Women and Children's Aid. It focused on raising the awareness of the needs of the victim and the role of Women's Aid, as well as on the legal aspects of dealing with these cases.
	Like all CPS areas, Merseyside has a domestic violence co-ordinator, who is part of a national network which shares and disseminates policy and good practice across the CPS. In addition, each branch within CPS Merseyside has a branch co-ordinator whose responsibilities include liaison with local agencies and to assist in securing a consistency of approach across the area.
	All 22 prosecutors permanently assigned to the Crown court branch are rape specialists. Compulsory training for all prosecutors (including those in other branches) in sexual offences has just commenced.
	20 prosecutors are trained to deal with child abuse cases. Most of these are based in the Crown court branch, which deals with the vast majority of these cases.

Crown Prosecution Service

Edward Garnier: To ask the Solicitor-General how many Crown Prosecutors have been recruited in each Crown Prosecution Service in each financial year since 1 May 1997 for which figures are available, broken down by grade.

Harriet Harman: The structure of the Crown Prosecution Service changed in 1999, following the implementation of the review conducted by Sir Iain Glidewell.
	Consequently, the summary table at Annexe A only shows the number of Crown prosecutors that were recruited in each of the 42 current CPS Areas in each of the financial years since 1 May 1999, broken down by grade. Comparable figures for 1 May 1997 and 1 May 1998 are not available.
	
		Annexe A: Table showing the number of Crown Prosecutors recruited in each CPS area since 1 May 1999
		
			  Total 
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 Grand total 
		
		
			 Derbyshire 2 — 4 3 5 14 
			 Leicestershire 1 — 5 9 4 19 
			 Lincoln 1 — 2 4 3 10 
			 Northamptonshire 2 1 3 2 — 8 
			 Nottinghamshire 3 1 7 13 11 35 
			 Bedfordshire — — 5 1 1 7 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 1 1 6 2 11 
			 Essex 1 1 5 5 3 15 
			 Hertfordshire 2 1 — 7 3 13 
			 Norfolk — — 2 2 3 7 
			 Suffolk — — 1 5 1 7 
			 London 13 7 85 71 39 215 
			 Staffordshire — — 5 — 6 11 
			 Warwickshire — — 1 — 2 3 
			 West Mercia — — — 3 5 8 
			 West Midlands 9 14 12 21 9 65 
			 Cleveland 1 — 4 7 1 13 
			 Durham 3 — 3 3 1 10 
			 Northumbria 2 — 7 9 12 30 
			 Cheshire 1 2 5 6 4 18 
			 Cumbria — — 1 2 1 4 
			 Greater Manchester 4 1 23 12 14 54 
			 Lancashire — — 8 — 13 21 
			 Merseyside 2 — 6 8 9 25 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight — — 12 2 9 23 
			 Kent 2 — 6 9 3 20 
			 Surrey 2 1 5 3 2 13 
			 Sussex 3 3 8 5 5 24 
			 Thames Valley 1 5 6 13 11 36 
			 Avon and Somerset 1 6 9 4 8 28 
			 Devon and Cornwall — 1 2 6 3 12 
			 Dorset 1 — 1 1 3 6 
			 Gloucestershire — — 2 — 3 5 
			 Wiltshire — 1 1 5 2 9 
			 Dyfed-Powys — 1 2 — — 3 
			 Gwent — 1 7 3 — 11 
			 North Wales — — 1 — 3 4 
			 South Wales 4 1 9 3 8 25 
			 Humberside 1 1 1 3 5 11 
			 North Yorkshire — — — 2 3 5 
			 South Yorkshire 3 1 4 6 10 24 
			 West Yorkshire 2 1 11 14 18 46 
			 Total 68 52 282 278 248 928

Departmental Procurement

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Solicitor-General what percentage of the (a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by her Department over the last five years is of British manufacture.

Harriet Harman: In respect of the Treasury Solicitor's Department, it estimates, on the basis of checking existing stock and liaison with current suppliers, that (a) 100 per cent. of crockery, (b) 0 per cent. of cutlery and (c) 10 per cent. of glassware purchased by the Department was of British manufacture.
	HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate has not purchased any such items since its establishment on 1 October 2000.
	The Crown Prosecution Service and the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers procure very small quantities of crockery, cutlery and glass. Separate records of the source of these products are not kept.

Family Law

Stephen Byers: To ask the Solicitor-General what plans she has to issue a Green Paper on the reform of family law; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government plans to publish a consultation document on parental relationship breakdown. This will set out proposals for improving outcomes for children and the experiences of all those involved in parental separation, through improved services, help and support. Any legislative implications of these proposals will be addressed in the document.

Lenient Sentencing

Michael Meacher: To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases from each court where the sentence was judged to be unduly lenient were referred for review in each of the last three years.

Harriet Harman: The tables show the numbers of cases received by the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers and the numbers of cases referred to the Court of Appeal in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
	
		2001
		
			 Crown court Cases received by LSLO Cases referred to court of appeal 
		
		
			 Aylesbury 1 0 
			 Basildon 1 0 
			 Birmingham 7 3 
			 Blackfriars 6 3 
			 Bolton 2 2 
			 Bournemouth 1 0 
			 Bradford 2 1 
			 Bristol 11 8 
			 Burnley 1 0 
			 Caernarfon 1 0 
			 Canterbury 3 3 
			 Cardiff 1 1 
			 Carlisle 2 1 
			 Central Criminal 14 3 
			 Chelmsford 0 — 
			 Chester 5 4 
			 Chichester 2 1 
			 Croydon 1 1 
			 Derby 2 1 
			 Doncaster 1 1 
			 Durham 3 0 
			 Exeter 3 2 
			 Gloucester 5 3 
			 Grimsby 2 0 
			 Guildford 4 3 
			 Harrow 0 — 
			 Hove 0 — 
			 Hull 1 0 
			 Inner London 2 2 
			 Ipswich 2 2 
			 Isleworth 1 1 
			 Kingston 2 0 
			 Kingston upon Hull 0 — 
			 Knutsford 1 1 
			 Leeds 7 3 
			 Leicester 3 2 
			 Lewes 4 2 
			 Lincoln 1 0 
			 Liverpool 7 3 
			 Luton 6 5 
			 Maidstone 7 4 
			 Manchester 14 11 
			 Middlesex Guildhall 0 — 
			 Mold 1 1 
			 Newcastle 5 3 
			 Newport 1 1 
			 Northampton 1 1 
			 Norwich 1 1 
			 Nottingham 4 1 
			 Oxford 2 0 
			 Peterborough 1 1 
			 Plymouth 0 — 
			 Portsmouth 4 4 
			 Preston 8 3 
			 Reading 5 4 
			 Salford 0 — 
			 Sheffield 5 3 
			 Shrewsbury 1 1 
			 Snaresbrook 5 4 
			 Southampton 1 0 
			 Southwark 2 1 
			 Stafford 1 1 
			 St. Albans 2 — 
			 Stockport 0 — 
			 Stoke on Trent 1 0 
			 Swansea 2 1 
			 Swindon 1 1 
			 Taunton 1 0 
			 Teesside 5 3 
			 Truro 0 — 
			 Warrington 0 — 
			 Warwick 2 2 
			 Winchester 6 4 
			 Wolverhampton 3 2 
			 Wood Green 3 2 
			 Woolwich 1 1 
			 Worcester 5 3 
			 York 3 0 
		
	
	
		2002
		
			 Crown court Cases received by LSLO Cases referred to court of appeal 
		
		
			 Aylesbury 0 — 
			 Basildon 2 2 
			 Birmingham 7 2 
			 Blackfriars 4 1 
			 Bolton 3 0 
			 Bournemouth 2 0 
			 Bradford 0 — 
			 Bristol 15 6 
			 Burnley 3 1 
			 Caernarfon 0 — 
			 Canterbury 4 2 
			 Cardiff 3 1 
			 Carlisle 6 2 
			 Central Criminal 10 4 
			 Chelmsford 0 — 
			 Chester 2 1 
			 Chichester 2 1 
			 Coventry 1 0 
			 Croydon 1 1 
			 Derby 6 4 
			 Doncaster 0 — 
			 Dorchester 1 1 
			 Durham 1 0 
			 Exeter 3 0 
			 Gloucester 1 1 
			 Grimsby 2 2 
			 Guildford 2 2 
			 Harrow 5 5 
			 Hove 0 — 
			 Hull 3 1 
			 Inner London 2 0 
			 Ipswich 1 0 
			 Isleworth 0 — 
			 Kingston 2 0 
			 Kingston upon Hull 0 — 
			 Knutsford 0 — 
			 Leeds 6 2 
			 Leicester 4 3 
			 Lewes 6 3 
			 Lincoln 2 0 
			 Liverpool 3 1 
			 Luton 2 2 
			 Maidstone 4 4 
			 Manchester 20 10 
			 Middlesex Guildhall 0 — 
			 Mold 1 1 
			 Newcastle 9 2 
			 Newport 0 — 
			 Northampton 3 2 
			 Norwich 7 3 
			 Nottingham 8 4 
			 Oxford 9 3 
			 Peterborough o 1 
			 Plymouth 3 2 
			 Portsmouth 3 1 
			 Preston 9 3 
			 Reading 8 5 
			 Salford 0 — 
			 Sheffield 3 1 
			 Shrewsbury 1 — 
			 Snaresbrook 5 3 
			 Southampton 3 1 
			 Southend 1 1 
			 Southwark 1 0 
			 Stafford 1 1 
			 St. Albans 2 0 
			 Stockport 0 — 
			 Stoke on Trent 0 — 
			 Swansea 1 0 
			 Swindon 3 2 
			 Taunton 5 2 
			 Teesside 7 2 
			 Truro 2 1 
			 Warrington 0 — 
			 Warwick 1 0 
			 Whitehaven 1 0 
			 Winchester 6 1 
			 Wolverhampton 5 2 
			 Wood Green 0 — 
			 Woolwich 2 2 
			 Worcester 3 1 
			 York 0 — 
		
	
	
		2003
		
			 Crown court Cases received by LSLO Cases referred to court of appeal 
		
		
			 Aylesbury 4 2 
			 Basildon 1 0 
			 Birmingham 5 2 
			 Blackfriars 3 1 
			 Bolton 10 0 
			 Bournemouth 1 0 
			 Bradford 2 1 
			 Bristol 22 10 
			 Burnley 1 0 
			 Caernarfon 0 — 
			 Cambridge 1 0 
			 Canterbury 3 0 
			 Cardiff 3 2 
			 Carlisle 4 1 
			 Central Criminal 6 3 
			 Chelmsford 1 0 
			 Chester 1 1 
			 Chichester 0 — 
			 Coventry 0 — 
			 Croydon 1 0 
			 Derby 2 1 
			 Doncaster 2 2 
			 Dorchester — — 
			 Durham 0 — 
			 Exeter 1 0 
			 Gloucester 3 3 
			 Grimsby 3 1 
			 Guildford 3 2 
			 Harrow 1 0 
			 Hove 1 0 
			 Hull 2 0 
			 Humberside 1 0 
			 Inner London 6 4 
			 Ipswich 0 — 
			 Isleworth 1 0 
			 Kingston 7 4 
			 Kingston upon Hull 1 1 
			 Knutsford 0 — 
			 Leeds 3 2 
			 Leicester 3 2 
			 Lewes 2 0 
			 Lincoln 0 — 
			 Liverpool 7 4 
			 Luton 1 0 
			 Maidstone 7 5 
			 Manchester 24 3 
			 Middlesex Guildhall 2 1 
			 Mold 0 — 
			 Newcastle 3 1 
			 Newport 1 0 
			 Northampton 1 1 
			 Norwich 3 2 
			 Nottingham 3 1 
			 Oxford 2 0 
			 Peterborough 1 1 
			 Plymouth 2 0 
			 Portsmouth 1 0 
			 Preston 1 0 
			 Reading 10 3 
			 Salford 1 0 
			 Salisbury 1 0 
			 Sheffield 2 0 
			 Shrewsbury 2 0 
			 Snaresbrook 2 2 
			 Southampton 3 0 
			 Southend 0 — 
			 Southwark 2 2 
			 Stafford 0 — 
			 St. Albans 0 — 
			 Stockport 1 0 
			 Stoke on Trent 1 0 
			 Swansea 2 1 
			 Swindon 1 0 
			 Taunton 2 1 
			 Teesside 7 3 
			 Truro 1 1 
			 Warrington 1 1 
			 Warwick 1 0 
			 Whitehaven 0 — 
			 Winchester 9 4 
			 Wolverhampton 4 0 
			 Wood Green 3 2 
			 Woolwich 2 0 
			 Worcester 1 0 
			 York 1 1

TREASURY

Construction Industry Scheme

Mark Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Construction Industry Scheme certificates have been lost in each year since the Scheme's introduction; and what their total value is.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of tax certificates reported to the Revenue as lost in each year since the introduction of the scheme is set out as follows. The certificates themselves have no value, they simply allow the holder to receive payments without deduction.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1999–2000 1,523 
			 2000–01 1,597 
			 2001–02 1,238 
			 2002–03 1,507 
			 2003–04 1,042

Construction Industry Scheme

Mark Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated total annual cost to the Inland Revenue is of running the Construction Industry Scheme.

Dawn Primarolo: The estimated annual cost to the Inland Revenue of running the Construction Industry Scheme is £27 million, as set out in the Regulatory Impact Assessment on the Reform of the Construction Industry Scheme published at the time of Budget 2004.

Employment

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of adults aged 25 to 49 years are in employment in the UK; and what the comparable figures are for other EU countries.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. David Willetts, dated 14 June 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment in the UK and other EU countries for 25–49 year olds. I am replying in his absence. (177910)
	The attached table gives the latest available figures for each EU member state.
	The UK figure refers to December 2003-February 2004 and is taken from the latest UK Labour Force Survey. The other figures are the latest available European LFS data taken from Eurostat's New Cronos database. The figures are not seasonally adjusted.
	
		Employment rate for 25–49 year olds for the UK and EU
		
			  Country  Latest reference period available Employment rate 
		
		
			 Austria April-June 2003 85.5 
			 Belgium October-December 2003 79.4 
			 Cyprus April-June 2003 83.3 
			 Czech Republic October-December 2003 81.3 
			 Denmark October-December 2003 84.2 
			 Estonia October-December 2003 79.7 
			 Finland October-December 2003 81.6 
			 France October-December 2003 79.9 
			 Germany April-June 2003 78.8 
			 Greece October-December 2003 73.9 
			 Hungary October-December 2003 75.5 
			 Ireland October-December 2003 77.7 
			 Italy October-December 2003 71.9 
			 Spain October-December 2003 73.3 
			 Latvia October-December 2003 78.9 
			 Lithuania October-December 2003 79.4 
			 Luxembourg January-March 2003 77.6 
			 Malta October-December 2003 63.7 
			 Netherlands October-December 2003 83.5 
			 Poland October-December 2003 70.5 
			 Portugal October-December 2003 82.5 
			 Slovak Republic October-December 2003 76.6 
			 Slovenia October-December 2003 85.4 
			 Sweden October-December 2003 83.2 
			 United Kingdom December 2003-February 2004 81.2

Endowment Mortgages (Mis-selling)

Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance has been provided to those making claims of mis-selling of endowment mortgages against small independent financial advisers about the information to be included in a claim.

Ruth Kelly: Information for policyholders is available from both the Financial Services Authority and the Financial Ombudsman Service to help people who want to make a complaint about an endowment mortgage. The FSA factsheet "Endowment mortgage complaints" has been produced and distributed since October 2000 and has been regularly updated. The FSA also produces a more detailed guide to making a complaint which includes an example of how to write a complaint letter. Where a policyholder is not satisfied with the outcome of a complaint they can refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service who can provide further assistance to policyholders in writing or over the phone.

Gas Network (Treasury Support)

Alan Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations have been made to his Department by Government Departments and other agencies and individuals seeking Treasury support to fund extension of the mains gas network to areas of England without such provision.

Ruth Kelly: The DTI has committed, in the Energy White Paper, to explore options for pilot projects on gas network extension.
	The Treasury has spoken to a range of Departments, organisations and individuals on this issue.

Illegal Food Imports

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what quantity of illegal food imports were seized in each month of the last three years.

John Healey: HM Customs and Excise reported in their spring departmental report 2004 (Cm 6224) that they seized 119,278 kg of illegal imports of products of animal origin for the period 1 April to 31 December 2003.
	The following table shows the monthly breakdown for these seizures:
	
		
			  Month Total weight of products of animal origin seized (kg) 
		
		
			 April 3,281 
			 May 25,111 
			 June 5,517 
			 July 9,106 
			 August 20,238 
			 September 14,109 
			 October 11,768 
			 November 13,474 
			 December 16,674 
			 Total 119,278 
		
	
	Note:
	All figures are rounded to the nearest kilogramme.
	Statistics relating to seizures of illegal imports for the 2001–02 and 2002–03 financial years were published in Defra's "Annual Review of Imports of Animal Product: April 2002—March 2003", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
	A monthly breakdown of the statistics for those years, and for seizures made by other agencies between 1 April and 31 December 2003, would be available only at disproportionate cost; Exemption 9 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information applies.

Large Business Office

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated tax yields from the Inland Revenue Large Business Office were for each year from 1997; and what the actual tax yield outcome was in each year.

Dawn Primarolo: The Large Business Office was only formed in 1997 so there was no basis to make a forecast until 1998–99. The forecast was included in the board's report.
	An overall forecast for 1999–2000 for the Department was made but the make up of this figure is not available. For subsequent years no forecast of compliance yield was made.
	The additional tax yield figures from the LBO for 1999–2000 to 2002–03 as adjusted are set out in the board's reports which are available in the House of Commons Library.
	Those for 2003–04 are being audited for inclusion in the report for 2003–04 which will be published later this year.

Overseas Aid

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 27 April 2004, Official Report, column 869W, on overseas aid, if he will list (a) countries which contribute a higher percentage than the UK of gross national income to overseas aid and (b) those countries which have set a timetable to reach the UN target of 0.7 per cent. of gross national income on overseas aid.

John Healey: The UK's ratio of overseas aid to gross national income (GNI) stood at 0.34 per cent. in 2003 and is set to rise to 0.40 per cent. in 2005–06, the highest level since 1981.
	Information on countries contributing higher percentages than the UK to overseas aid and those with timetables to reach 0.70 oda/GNI is available on the OECD Development Assistance Committee website at www.oecd.org/dataoecd/40/63/31508396.pdf.

Pensions

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pension schemes approved by the Inland Revenue have fewer than 50 members.

Ruth Kelly: This information is not held centrally. However, table 2.1 of the "Occupational Pension Schemes 2000—Eleventh Survey by the Government Actuary", which covered occupational pension schemes with two or more members, indicates that between 86,000 and 98,000 pension schemes approved by the Inland Revenue might have less than 50 members.

Pensions

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to pension schemes with fewer than 50 members of his proposed requirement on those schemes to secure all pensions with annuities.

Ruth Kelly: The cost of annuitising pension benefits for pension schemes with less than 50 members as opposed to paying benefits directly from the scheme will vary from case to case. Relevant factors will be the level to which scheme benefits are funded and the relative ages and benefit entitlements of the scheme members.

Premium Bonds

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the minimum size of purchase of Premium Bonds since 1979 in (a) cash terms and (b) constant prices.

Ruth Kelly: The minimum purchase values for each purchase of Premium Bonds by adults for themselves since 1979 are as follows:
	
		£
		
			 Date Cash value Current value(3) 
		
		
			 January 1979 5 18 
			 July 1985 10 20 
			 July 1989 100 162 
			 May 2004 100 100 
		
	
	(3) Adjusted to May 2004 prices using the RPI.

Sefton

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the mean household income was in Sefton in (a) 2000 and (b) 2003 as a percentage of UK mean household income; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mrs. Claire Curtis-Thomas, dated 14 June 2004
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the mean household income in Sefton. (177916)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not compile statistics on mean household income.
	ONS has published gross disposable household income (GDHI) at current prices at the NUTS1, 2 and 3 sub-national geographies. These estimates were last published on 26 March 2002. The data for the period 1995 to 1999 are consistent with the 2001 National Accounts. Sefton is a NUTS3 area and forms part of the NUTS2 region of Merseyside, for which GDHI per head figures are available on an annual basis and are given in Table A attached.
	For the smaller areas, survey sample sizes are only large enough for ONS to publish estimates of household income on a 3 year average basis. These are presented as indices for Sefton, Merseyside, and the North West relative to the UK average in Table B attached.
	
		Table A: Gross disposable household income per year  -- £ per head
		
			 Area 1997 1998 1999 
		
		
			 Merseyside 8,710 8,844 9,342 
			 United Kingdom 9,513 9,696 10,142 
		
	
	
		Table B: Index(4) of gross disposable household income (GDHI) per head -- Average over period 1997–99
		
			 Area GDHI index 
		
		
			 North West 93 
			 Merseyside 92 
			 Sefton 110 
		
	
	(4) Index value is 100 for the UK as a whole.

Tax Credits

Joan Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families are benefiting from the working tax credit in Stoke-on-Trent, North; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: An estimate can be derived from "Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. Geographical analyses. January 2004", which can be found on the Inland Revenue website at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm. All in-work families receiving these tax credits, except those receiving child tax credit at or below the family element, were benefiting from the working tax credit. The estimates are subject to sampling uncertainty.

Tax Credits

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of the number of Inland Revenue staff acting as appointees of applicants for tax credits.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

DEFENCE

Gibraltar

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy ships have called at Gibraltar since 1 January.

Adam Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 24 May 2004 Official Report, columns 1350–52W, to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell).

Alcohol Consumption (Service Personnel)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what orders were in force concerning the consumption of alcohol (a) on-base and (b) off-base by British troops based in Baghdad during the Christmas and New Year period in 2003–04.

Adam Ingram: In common with all overseas military deployments, orders on the consumption of alcohol would be at the discretion of the individual commanders and will vary with the operational circumstances. When alcohol is permitted, the normal limit is two cans of beer per man per day.

Apache Helicopters

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 12 February 2004, Official Report, column 1632W, on Apache helicopters, how many AH-64 Apache helicopters have been accepted into service; how many are in storage at RAF Shawbury; when he expects the full complement to be fully operational; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has accepted delivery of 67 aircraft. There are at present 19 Apache in storage at RAF Shawbury, which will reduce to zero when all three Attack Helicopter Regiments are formed by late November 2006.

Army HQ (Northern Ireland)

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the relocation of Army Headquarters Northern Ireland from Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn to Aldergrove; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: There are no plans for the relocation of the Headquarters Northern Ireland from Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn to Aldergrove. Lisburn is listed in the security normalisation annex of the Joint Declaration, as one of the locations where, in the context of a peaceful society, the regular garrison in Northern Ireland might be based.

Asbestos

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 15 March 2004, Official Report, column 44W, on asbestos, what his Department estimated the cost would be of compiling a central register of surveyed buildings occupied by departmental staff including agencies which require remedial work on asbestos or the removal of asbestos.

Ivor Caplin: For the defence estate, asbestos information is held locally at each establishment/site. It has been estimated that gathering the current data from within the Department, its agencies and trading funds (including information currently held on each establishment's asbestos register) would cost approximately £45,000.

Civilian Internees (Compensation)

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he has had with the Home Office about the status of British passport-holders who were excluded from the ex gratia compensation scheme for civilian internees of the Japanese.

Ivor Caplin: The Home Office was consulted by and subsequently represented on the interdepartmental working group chaired by the Cabinet Office when the definition of "British" was being clarified in relation to the eligibility of former civilian internees under the ex gratia payment scheme.

Databases

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the fields of the (a) Defence Procurement Agency Corporate Management Information Systems, (b) the Civilian Personnel Management Information System and (c) the Long Term Costings database.

Adam Ingram: I am placing the information requested in the Library of the House.

Deepcut Barracks Inquiry

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the implementation of each of the recommendations made by Surrey police following their inquiry into the deaths at Deepcut Barracks.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to my statement in the House on 24 May 2004, Official Report, columns 1306–19.
	We are increasing the level of assurance that we have in the way in which the armed forces train, and in managing the risks to which our young recruits are exposed. As a positive and substantive response to the concerns expressed by the Surrey police, we are expanding our relationship with the Adult Learning Inspectorate to provide independent oversight of all armed forces training. Any recommendations they may make and our responses to them will be exposed fully to public scrutiny.

Defence Assistance Fund

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of the Defence Assistance Fund was for each of the last four years; and how much of those costs in each year was used to promote military exports.

Adam Ingram: Defence Assistance Fund (DAF) expenditure was £19.9 million in 2000–01; £7.2 million in 2001–02; £9.7 million in 2002–03 and £10.4 million in 2003–04. Of this, the amount spent on supporting defence exports was £4.7 million in 2000–01; £5 million in 2001–02; £4.2 million in 2002–03 and £6 million in 2003–04. The drop in the DAF total between 2000–01 and 2001–02 reflects the transfer of funds to the Conflict Prevention Fund.

Defence Bodies

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the balance sheet of the (a) Chief of Defence Logistics and (b) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency management group for financial year 2000–01;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the balance sheet of the Chief of Defence Logistics Management Group non-disaggregated funds for financial year 1999–2000.

Adam Ingram: I have already published the balance sheet for the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency for 2000–01 and the Chief of Defence Logistics Management Groups. I refer the hon. Member to my letter of 21 August 2003, reference: D/MIN(AF)/2185N/03/L to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin). Copies are available in the Library of the House.

Defence Intelligence Budget

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Defence Intelligence Budget was in (a) 1997, (b) 2000 and (c) 2004; and what budget is projected for the next three financial years.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 18 May 2004
	There is no defence intelligence budget as such. While the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS) operates as a discrete unit, other elements of the defence intelligence community are integral parts of a range of budgetary areas.
	The DIS's budgets for 2000–01 and the current financial year (2004–05) are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year £ million 
		
		
			 2000–01 (5)151.7 
			 2004–05 (6)198.4 
		
	
	(5) Cash at outturn prices.
	(6) "Near-cash" at 2004–05 prices.
	Notes:
	1. In 2000–01, the Department was still budgeted in cash terms. Under Resource Accounting and Budgeting, it is now controlled in terms of Resource and Capital Departmental Expenditure Limits (DELs).
	2. "Near-cash" comprises Resource and Capital DELs, less charges for cost of capital and depreciation, and changes in provisions.
	In 2000–01, the Department was controlled in cash, whereas the figure for 2004–05 reflects the move to Resource Accounting and Budgeting. The two figures are not therefore directly comparable. I will write to the hon. Member about the DIS's budget for 1997–98.
	Planning assumptions about the content and timing of the defence programme in future years form part of internal advice to Ministers on the overall affordability of defence, and in some cases anticipate decisions to be taken by Ministers. I am therefore withholding budgetary information on future years under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The defence budget beyond 2005–06 will be agreed in the 2004 Spending Review.

Departmental Staff

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff were employed in the Department to work in the communications field, and what the total expenditure on communications for the Department was, broken down by (a) Government Information and Communication Service staff and (b) other staff, broken down by (i) press officers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) others, in (A) 1994–95, (B) 1996–97, (C) 1997–98 and (D) 2001–02.

Ivor Caplin: Information for 1994–95, 1996–97 and 1997–98 is no longer available.
	During the financial year 2001–02, a total of 150 military and civilian personnel were employed within the communications organisation in the Ministry of Defence Headquarters. This included 21 members of the Government Information and Communication Service (GICS). Of the remainder, eight worked in the Press Office and the others were employed on a wide range of tasks, including design, publicity, marketing, internal communications and strategic planning.
	The cost of these staff for 2001- 02 was £5.3 million, of which around £0.90 million was for the members of the GICS.
	The figures relate to those employed within the Ministry of Defence's Headquarters Communications department at any time during the year.
	Details of staff employed in communications elsewhere in the MOD are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	There are two special advisers in the Ministry of Defence, neither of whom are members of the communications organisation. The Special Adviser's Code of Conduct sets out the sort of work a special adviser may undertake on behalf of their Minister and this includes communications activity. Details of the costs of special advisers are given on an annual basis. Information for the financial year 2003–04 will be published in due course.

Eurofighter Typhoon

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what representations he has received from QinetiQ about the Typhoon's software and computer programmes;
	(2)  what representations he has received from the companies involved in the Typhoon programme about that aircraft's software and computer programmes;
	(3)  what representations he has received from the RAF about the Typhoon's software and computer systems.

Adam Ingram: No representations have been received about Typhoon's software and computer programmes. However, reports on all aspects of the Typhoon, including the software and computing, have been commissioned by the Ministry of Defence from both the companies involved in the programme and the Independent Assessor (QinetiQ in this case). This is the normal process for all new aircraft types entering service. It is the responsibility of MOD to take into account these reports and establish whether an aircraft meets the necessary safety requirements. Typhoon has been assessed to meet those requirements, allowing the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff to authorise the aircraft's Release to Service permitting operation under RAF safety procedures.

Firearms Rules

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what rules govern the import by army personnel of captured weapons to the UK as souvenirs; what measures are taken to enforce these rules; and how many individuals have been subject to disciplinary action for infringements in the last five years.

Adam Ingram: All armed forces personnel are subject to the 'Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939' and the 'Import of Goods (Control) Order 1954'. This legislation prohibits the importation of all goods including military operational memorabilia, firearms and cultural objects into the United Kingdom unless under the authority of a licence issued by the Department of Trade and Industry.
	Service police search all equipment, vehicles and containers returning from operational theatres, and members of the RAF are provided with guidance on the search of equipment and baggage loaded onto aircraft.
	Over the last five years, a total of eight service personnel have been reported by the Royal Military Police for infringements.

Iraq

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to whom UK forces in Iraq will answer in the event of allegations of war crimes or misconduct after 30 June; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 8 June 2004
	United Kingdom forces, wherever they operate in the world, are subject to UK military law which includes criminal liability for offences committed overseas as set out in the Service Discipline Acts. This has always been the case in Iraq and will continue to apply for as long as British forces are present. As in the UK or in other operational theatres, the responsibility for enforcing the law lies with the Service police.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has examined in relation to civilian deaths cause by UK forces in the city of Amara between 3 and 6 April.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence examines information from a variety of sources to keep abreast of all developments in Iraq. In the week in question, nine Iraqis were confirmed killed in Al Amara, although the total number of fatalities cannot be confirmed. The deaths occurred during attacks on 1 Light Infantry in incidents while they were on patrol and during a demonstration. Those confirmed killed were directly involved in armed attacks on United Kingdom forces.

Iraq

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he first made representations to his US counterpart regarding the International Committee of the Red Cross report on maltreatment of Iraqi prisoners by US forces in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 20 May 2004
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 24 May 2004, Official Report, column 1353W.

Iraq

Kenneth Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) private contractor interrogators and (b) advisers on interrogation techniques of any nationality have been allowed access to (i) prisons and (ii) other places of detention under British control in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 26 May 2004
	No.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those matters in respect of security policies implemented by Coalition forces in Iraq which are (a) his responsibility, (b) the responsibility of his United States counterpart and (c) matters for which responsibility is joint.

Adam Ingram: The actions of United Kingdom forces are the responsibility of the UK. The United States is responsible for the actions of US forces. As is the case with many multinational operations the UK commander reports to the Multinational Force commander whilst remaining under British national control, through the Permanent Joint Headquarters to the Ministry of Defence. The other members of the Multinational Force have their own national chains of command.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether interrogators used by the British armed forces are permitted to make direct physical threats to those held in custody.

Adam Ingram: No. All United Kingdom interrogators must successfully complete a stringent course prior to undertaking any operational interrogations. During the course they are specifically instructed that individuals being questioned must be treated at all times in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. Use of physical threats could amount to mental torture or coercion, both of which are banned by the Conventions.

Iraq

Kenneth Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the number of Iraqi civilians killed in consequence of military operations carried out by British forces since the invasion of Iraq began.

Adam Ingram: We have no reliable means of ascertaining the numbers of Iraqi civilians killed during major combat operations between 19 March and 1 May 2003.
	Since 1 May the United Kingdom Units have reported all confirmed fatalities of which they are aware arising from incidents in which they were involved and we have put in place a mechanism for central collation of unit reports. However it is not always possible to confirm whether fatalities or injuries have occurred during a particular incident. For example, in some incidents we believe Iraqi dead and/or injured may have been taken away by their compatriots before UK forces could investigate. In other incidents UK forces have been forced to withdraw before any Iraqi fatalities and/or injuries could be confirmed. Consequently we have no viable means of assessing the completeness of the information.

Iraq

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of Iraqi civilians killed (a) during the war, (b) since President Bush declared an end to hostilities and (c) in early April in Fallujah; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 11 May 2004
	We have no reliable means of ascertaining the numbers of Iraqi civilians killed during major combat operations between 19 March and 1 May 2003.
	Since 1 May, United Kingdom Units have reported all confirmed fatalities of which they are aware arising from incidents in which they were involved and we have put in place a mechanism for central collation of unit reports. However it is not always possible to confirm whether fatalities or injuries have occurred during a particular incident. For example, in some incidents we believe Iraqi dead and/or injured may have been taken away by their compatriots before UK forces could investigate. In other incidents UK forces have been forced to withdraw before any Iraqi fatalities and/or injuries could be confirmed. Consequently we have no viable means of assessing the completeness of the information.
	We are not in a position to comment on civilian casualties allegedly caused by other coalition partners.

Iraq

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Ministers were first informed that some prisoners in UK custody were being mistreated in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: Ministers were informed that the Special Investigation Branch of the Royal Military Police had commenced an investigation into the alleged ill-treatment and false imprisonment of Iraqi civilians on 22 April 2003. The investigation concluded that there was no case to answer.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what specific training has been given to British servicemen and women in respect of (a) interviewing and (b) managing civilian detainees in Iraq; and if he will place a copy of the manual used in such training in the Library.

Adam Ingram: Specialist training for personnel responsible for interviewing detainees is provided through a series of up to three courses based upon the Geneva Conventions and the Laws of Armed Conflict.
	British forces personnel in Iraq have the authority to detain persons who pose a threat to their safety or security. All members of the Army therefore receive training on prisoner handling. In the case of soldiers this is during their Phase 1 training and for officers at RMA Sandhurst. This training is supplemented annually in the form of Individual Training Directives (Army) (ITD(A)). ITD(A)s are mandatory for all Army personnel and provide annual training on the law of armed conflict and include direction on prisoner handling. Those deploying on operations must also complete mandated Pre-Deployment Training (PDT) which includes guidance on the procedures for handling prisoners. Personnel are advised that such training is equally applicable to detainees.
	I shall place a copy of the relevant ITD(A) and 'A Soldier's Guide to the Law of Armed Conflict' in the Library. In respect to the other manuals used in such training, I am withholding this information in accordance with Exemption 1a of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information which relates to defence, security and international relations.

Iraq

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list independent observer groups which have visited United Kingdom-run prisons in Iraq holding Iraqi prisoners during the last 12 months.

Adam Ingram: The International Committee of the Red Cross visits the United Kingdom's Divisional Temporary Detention Facility at Shaibah on a regular basis.
	The House of Commons Defence Select Committee have visited the facility but did not meet any detainees.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral statement of 27 May 2004, on Iraq, whether the sovereign interim Government of Iraq will be party to the consideration of disposition of forces required in Iraq until elections in 2005.

Adam Ingram: The relationship between the Multinational Force and the sovereign Government of Iraq is described in the exchange of letters referred to in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1546, which the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary placed in the Library of the House on 7 June. As the Resolution itself makes clear, the Security Council would terminate the mandate of the Multinational Force at any time if so requested by the Government of Iraq.

Israel

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what bilateral military relations the United Kingdom has with Israel.

Adam Ingram: Our current bilateral relationship with Israel includes maintaining professional contacts through our Defence Attaché in Tel Aviv as well as some exchanges on technology and some equipment procurement. We have formal agreements covering research and security but these are subject to certain restrictions. We also hold military talks that cover a wide range of issues.

Lance Corporal William Graham

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  on what date Lance Corporal William Graham of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Scots Regiment was released from prison; on what date he resumed military duties; and what duties he has performed since January;
	(2)  what factors underlay the decision to retain Lance Corporal William Graham as a member of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Scots Regiment following his conviction and imprisonment;
	(3)  what payments were made to Lance Corporal William Graham of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Scots Regiment between the date of his criminal conviction to the date of his release from prison;
	(4)  what measures were taken by the 1st Battalion of the Royal Scots Regiment to retrain Lance Corporal William Graham in the use of firearms following his release from prison;
	(5)  what role Lance Corporal William Graham of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Scots Regiment played in the parade of honour and other public events at (a) Linlithgow, (b) Peebles, (c) Haddington, (d) Penicuik and (e) elsewhere in April.

Adam Ingram: Lance Corporal Graham was released from prison on 9 January 2004. He resumed military duties on 10 January 2004. The Queen's Regulations for the Army define the exceptional reasons which would make the retention of a soldier desirable if he has been sentenced by a civil court or by court-martial to imprisonment, detention or any other form of custodial sentence. Where there are circumstances that make retention of a soldier desirable then the case is to be submitted with valid and explicit reasons to the Director of Manning (Army) Ministry of Defence for a decision. The circumstances will vary from case to case. From the date of his criminal conviction to the date of his release from prison LCpl Graham did not receive payment.
	In common with all personnel in Regular Army and TA Units, LCpl Graham must complete his personal weapon training and pass his personal weapon and weapon handling tests.
	LCpl Graham did not take part in any parade in April.
	I am withholding personal data relating to LCpl Graham under Exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information and in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, unless the relevant conditions are met.

Lockheed-Martin

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with Lockheed-Martin about inward investment into the UK.

Adam Ingram: Ministers meet regularly with Lockheed-Martin, which employs about 800 staff at over 10 sites in the UK, to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest.

Priory Hospital, Bristol

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on psychiatric treatment for current and former Service personnel at the Priory Hospital at Bristol; and how many personnel have received such treatment in the last year.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 10 June 2004
	In 2003–04, the Ministry of Defence spent £169,789.99 on treating 21 serving members of the armed forces at the Priory Hospital in Bristol. The MOD does not refer former Service personnel to the Priory Group for treatment. On leaving the Services, responsibility for their medical care falls to the NHS.

RAF Scampton

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF personnel are required to carry out those of RAF Boulmer's functions which are to be moved to RAF Scampton; and how many RAF personnel will be required to carry out the functions at RAF Scampton.

Adam Ingram: Some 700 RAF personnel with civilian support, currently carry out those functions at RAF Boulmer whose relocation is being considered. A similar number would be required for the same functions were they to be located elsewhere. If they were subject to more efficient basing however, there would be economies in the number of their support personnel.

RAF Scampton

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has changed (a) the proposal to move No. 1 ACC from RAF Boulmer to RAF Scampton and (b) the timing of any planned move; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: No decisions have been made on this issue as a final decision on the review of Air Combat Service Support Units and Minor Unit Basing has not yet been taken as consultation with the Trades Unions is still ongoing. As part of a contingency planning exercise to alleviate current accommodation problems at RAF Boulmer, staff have been considering whether it is feasible to provide an interim facility for 1 ACC elsewhere.

Remembrance Events

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions (a) he, (b) his Department and (c) the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has had with the French authorities regarding low-level tourist overflights of British and Commonwealth military cemeteries and memorials.

Ivor Caplin: There have been no discussions between either the Ministry of Defence or the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the French authorities about low level tourist overflights of British and Commonwealth military cemeteries and memorials in France. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has no recollection of any representations raising concerns about such matters.

Royal Air Force (Turkmenistan)

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the collision between a RAF Hercules based at Lyneham in Wiltshire and an un-named jet aircraft over Turkmenistan on 22 May.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 8 June 2004
	An RAF Hercules C130J aircraft was on a routine flight between Kabul and Bucharest on 22 May when there was a collision with a Turkmen aircraft which damaged one of the C130J's propellers. The C130J landed safely at Baku airport. There were no injuries to personnel on board. The RAF is conducting a Unit Inquiry. The Turkmenistan authorities have also convened a Board of Inquiry.

Shipbuilding

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with (a) the Department of Trade and Industry, (b) shipbuilders and (c) trade unions to identify the minimum numbers of (i) workers and (ii) designers necessary to maintain a strategic capacity of naval shipbuilding in the United Kingdom.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 7 June 2004
	We remain committed to maintaining a strategic capacity and capability for naval shipbuilding in the United Kingdom. Ministry of Defence and Department of Trade and Industry officials and representatives from the shipbuilding industry meet on a monthly basis to discuss the future programme. These meetings are being taken forward in a positive and constructive manner. Additionally, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence met with Kevin Curran, General Secretary of the GMB on 4 May.
	We are building on the solid base that the Defence Industrial Policy has established and are actively exploring practical ways of achieving its objectives. In the shipbuilding area, we are comparing our requirements against capacity and, where possible, evaluating the options to smooth out large peaks and troughs.

Special Investigations Branch

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training is undertaken by the Special Investigations Branch of the Royal Military Police in the investigation of serious incidents; and what computer system is available to the Special Investigations Branch of the Royal Military Police to assist in the investigation of serious incidents.

Adam Ingram: All members of the Special Investigation Branch of the Royal Military Police are required to attend and pass the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Course. Some members also attend external training courses in the investigation of serious or series crime. Senior members of the Special Investigation Branch are trained as Senior Investigating Officers and attend Home Office accredited training courses.
	The Special Investigation Branch have the Home Office Large Major Enquiry System (HOLMES) Version 2 to assist in the investigation of serious incidents.

Special Investigations Branch

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in the past two years members of the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch have been subject to military discipline; and for what offences.

Adam Ingram: All members of the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch are subject to military discipline.
	In the past two years, four members of the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch have been subject to military disciplinary action. The offences were:
	Rape/Indecent Assault
	Possession of Obscene Articles
	Publication of Obscene Articles
	Impaired Driving
	Traffic Accidents in Military Transport.

Special Investigations Branch

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what mechanisms are available to consider complaints against members of the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch; and how many complaints have been made in each of the past two years.

Adam Ingram: There are various types of complaints, which may be related to either authorised policing activities or the conduct of investigations; they may be made at any stage of an investigation:
	applications for Redress of Complaint are considered in accordance with the Army Act 1955 by the commanding officer of the complainant's unit;
	complaints that an RMP Investigator has breached the Service Police Codes of Practice, and complaints following the completion of an RMP investigation are considered by the commanding officer of the relevant RMP unit. The Special Investigation Branch (SIB) will investigate complaints of serious malpractice or negligence;
	in accordance with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, any complaints about the use of covert investigation techniques are matters for the Investigatory Powers Tribunal.
	Since 2002, the following number of complaints have been made against members of RMP SIB for alleged professional misconduct:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2002 2 
			 2003 2

Special Investigations Branch

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what body has responsibility for overseeing the operation of the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch; and to whom it reports.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Military Police (RMP) Special Investigation Branch (SIB) is commanded by the Adjutant General and is under operational control of the Provost Marshal (Army). The SIB is subject to inspection in accordance with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. The Surveillance Commissioner undertook an inspection in 2003 and made no substantive comments. The Interception Commissioner is expected to undertake an inspection later this year. In addition, all major SIB investigations are reviewed by external civilian police forces in accordance with Home Office Guidelines. No other external body has responsibility for oversight of RMP SIB operations. All reports are made to the Provost Marshal (Army).

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent estimate he has made of the number of rapes committed by members of armed factions in Afghanistan against women.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Due to the reluctance of victims to speak out and the limited capacity for monitoring and data collection in Afghanistan, the number of rapes against women committed by members of armed factions in Afghanistan remains unclear. The German NGO Medica Mondiale is piloting a scheme to provide shelters for rape victims in Afghanistan in collaboration with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with representatives of the World Food Programme about the impact on local commerce of providing free externally produced wheat to the western regions of Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: A recent evaluation of the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) activities in Afghanistan has found that there is no evidence of any significant impact of providing free externally produced wheat on the local commerce. There was a significant decrease in wheat price last year but it is believed that it was mainly due to the bumper crop that Afghanistan had after several years of drought.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the funds allocated by his Department for reconstruction in Afghanistan in 2003–04 were disbursed.

Hilary Benn: DFID allocated £75 million for reconstruction and humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan in 2003–04, and disbursed £77.6 million, 3.5 per cent. over budget.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who represented his Department at the international conference on reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan in Berlin on 31 March and 1 April; and what conclusions for the Department's policy have been drawn.

Hilary Benn: On 31 March senior officials from DFID represented the Department. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and officials from the FCO also attended on 31 March. I represented DFID on 1 April.
	The conference emphasised the need for donors to remain focused on the needs of Afghanistan in the long term, and to continue to support the Afghan Government in their battle against narcotics and insecurity. These are all areas to which the UK Government are fully committed.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made by provincial reconstruction teams in Afghanistan in building (a) police stations, (b) roads and (c) bridges.

Hilary Benn: The UK Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Mazar-e Sharif has focused on security sector reform and building local government capacity, and not on rebuilding physical infrastructure. However, DFID through the PRT has funded local and international NGOs to build some police stations and bridges. In the city of Mazar-e Sharif, one police station has been rebuilt and work is underway on two more. Two bridges have been rebuilt in Sar-e Pol Province. DFID does not have this information for PRTs led by other nations.
	Much more work is being done in these areas through other mechanisms such as the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund and bilateral development programmes. Figures published at the April Afghanistan Development Forum show that US$532.5 million had been allocated for road infrastructure this financial year and US$5.5 million for building police stations and headquarters.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made with the development of micro-enterprises as part of the sustainable livelihoods strategy for Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: DFID is actively supporting the Microfinance Investment Support Facility for Afghanistan. US$15 million worth of contracts have been signed with five microfinance institutions through which around 35,000 loans have been provided to the poor to start their own micro-enterprises. The number of beneficiaries is expected to increase to 75,000 by March 2005. More than 90 per cent. of beneficiaries are women.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many experts have been seconded by his Department to provincial reconstruction teams to assist development in the regions of Afghanistan; and what the results have been of their work to date.

Hilary Benn: DFID has seconded four development advisers to Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Mazar-e Sharif, Bamian, Gardez and Kandahar. This work is ongoing and has concentrated so far on security sector reform and local government capacity building. DFID will carry out a full evaluation of its engagement with PRTs in October this year.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in strengthening the domestic revenue base of the Afghan Transitional Administration.

Hilary Benn: DFID is supporting the Ministry of Finance in undertaking both customs and tax reform over the next three years with the aim of increasing domestic revenues.
	Since July 2002, DFID has provided technical assistance in customs policy and administration. This assistance has supported the development of a five-year customs modernisation plan. The plan lays out in detail the key reform areas, time frames and costs, to achieve the ultimate goal of facilitating trade and investment in Afghanistan and maximising revenue streams. DFID is supporting the customs department to strengthen its institutional capacity to formulate and implement policy in order to achieve the objectives set out in their Five-year Plan.
	DFID has also been involved in tax policy formulation and setting up the Large Taxpayers Unit. DFID is now supporting the Government's fiscal management strategies through effective revenue mobilisation and professional administration that is supported and trusted by businesses and the community in order to achieve the objectives set out in their reform plan.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the size was of the ordinary and recurrent budgets of the Afghan Transitional Administration in 2003–04; and what it is in 2004–05.

Hilary Benn: The ordinary and recurrent budget are the same thing. It was US$ 550 million for 2003–04 and is US$ 608.5 million for 2004–05.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the financial contribution was of his Department to the ordinary budget of the Afghan Transitional Administration in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05.

Hilary Benn: DFID provides financial assistance through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), a multilateral donor trust fund, which is managed by the World Bank. The ARTF finances the Afghan Transitional Administration directly strengthening the legitimacy and accountability of the government and ensuring that resources are allocated to national priorities. It helps fund the essential recurrent budgetary expenditures required for the government to function effectively.
	DFID contributed £30 million to the ARTF in 2003–04. DFID has committed £45 million for 2004–05 of which £25 million has already been disbursed.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the performance was of the Afghan Transitional Administration against its benchmarks for reform of public administration in 2003–04.

Hilary Benn: There were no benchmarks set for reform of public administration for 2003–04.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money his Department has spent on translations into local languages in Afghanistan in each of the last two years.

Hilary Benn: In the last two years DFID have spent £11,169 on translations into local languages. This money financed the translation of a report, published last year, on Afghanistan's Constitutional and Political Development. The report was translated into Afghanistan's two main official languages, Pashto and Dari.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps have been taken by his Department to improve the collection of data on development in Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: In May this year, the Afghan Government and donors agreed a Statistical Master Plan for Afghanistan prepared with funding from DFID, the World Bank and the Asia Development Bank. DFID is now working with partners to determine how the plan will be implemented. Last year DFID also provided the Central Statistics Office with 50 personal computers.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been raised in domestic revenue in each of the last two years by the Afghan Transitional Administration.

Hilary Benn: In the period from the fourth quarter of Solar Year 1380 to the end of 1382 (January 2002 to March 2004), the Afghan Transitional Administration collected US$ 349 million in domestic revenue.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people have been employed under the National Emergency Employment Programme in Afghanistan; and what its cost has been to date.

Hilary Benn: To date some 200,000 people have been employed to undertake one month's work under the National Emergency Employment Programme in Afghanistan, and the cost of this has been around US$27.3 million.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost to date has been of the National Solidarity Programme in Afghanistan; and what its results have been.

Hilary Benn: The total contract value of the National Solidarity Programme is US$42,252,342.
	The programme is planned to cover all 20,000 villages in Afghanistan within four years. To date, over 5 million rural women and men have participated in electing 4,000 community development councils in 4,000 villages. As of 31 March 2004, block grants valuing $4,694,629 have been disbursed to fund projects identified by these councils including roads, water supply systems, schools and facilities for weaving and tailoring.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money has been (a) committed and (b) spent by his Department to support security and the rule of law in Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: DFID has allocated £5 million for its work through Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), which support security and the rule of law in Afghanistan. Since July 2003, £411,000 has been spent. In addition, the joint DFID/FCO/MOD Global Conflict Prevention Pool allocated £16 million for the Afghanistan strategy in 2003–04, of which £12 million was spent, and this financial year has spent £6 million of an £18 million allocation.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money has been (a) committed and (b) spent by his Department to support governance and public administration in Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: A total of almost £7 million has been committed and spent on public administration reform and governance since 2002.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how much money has been (a) committed and (b) spent by his Department in each of the last three years in Afghanistan on (i) refugee return, (ii) education and vocational training, (iii) health and nutrition, (iv) livelihood and social protection and (v) cultural heritage, media and sports;
	(2)  how much money has been (a) committed and (b) spent by his Department in each of the last three years in Afghanistan on (i) transport and communications, (ii) water and sanitation, (iii) energy, (iv) urban development and (v) natural resource management.

Hilary Benn: Prior to the Tokyo conference in 2002 DFID did not have fixed allocations for Afghanistan. At Tokyo DFID pledged £200 million over five years from 2002–03. Since then DFID have allocated £75million per year for Afghanistan and disbursed £75.8 million in 2002–03 and £77.6 million in 2003–04. At the Berlin Conference this year DFID increased its five-year pledge to £500 million.
	The UK funds Afghanistan's development process from our humanitarian and reconstruction budgets and through contributions to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF). The following table shows the breakdown of DFID's bilateral humanitarian and reconstruction aid and contributions to the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund in each of the last three years in Afghanistan:
	
		£ million
		
			  Humanitarian assistance ARTF Reconstruction assistance 
		
		
			 2001–02 46 4 — — 
			 2002–03 44.7 15 16.1 
			 2003–04 8.1 30 39.5 
		
	
	DFID's Afghanistan programme focuses on Public Administration Reform and Economic Management, Rural Livelihoods, Political Process and Security. UK contributions to the ARTF cannot be traced to specific projects within the Afghan development budget. DFID also funds a significant number of interventions that contribute to a range of areas. It is not possible therefore to set out how much money the UK has committed and spent in the specific areas you have identified.
	From our humanitarian budget DFID have given the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) £3 million in 2001–02, £6.5 million in 2002–03 and £4.5 million in 2003–04. This has helped to fund refugee camps to provide shelter and basic health and education services and also assisted refugee return. Contributions to the World Food Programme have provided food aid to the most vulnerable groups.
	The reconstruction budget includes DFID's livelihoods programme, which has provided to £0.1 million in 2002–03, £6 million in 2003–04 and has allocated around £13 million for 2004–05 to fund a mixture of practical research, income generation projects, natural resource management related projects and capacity building in key line ministries.
	Payments to the ARTF cover recurrent costs along with a range of activities prioritised within the national development budget including areas such as health, education, urban development, water and sanitation.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many ex-combatants in Afghanistan have been demobilised; and what proportion of them have been reintegrated into public life.

Hilary Benn: According to the Afghanistan New Beginnings Programme, the UN organisation responsible for disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration in Afghanistan, 6,819 former combatants had been demobilised by 27 May, and 5,768 of those had passed through the reintegration process.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the consultative group mechanism, leading to the Afghanistan development forum, for the co-ordination of donor assistance.

Hilary Benn: As a mechanism the Consultative Groups (CG) work well in bringing together various donors and the Government to ensure co-ordination of assistance. DFID works hard in the Groups, of which it is a part, to ensure that they are as effective as possible. An Afghan Government Ministry chairs each CG and, since the inception of the CG process, the capacity of many Ministries has increased, helping to improve the effectiveness of the process. DFID, and the rest of the international community, will continue to work with the Afghan Government to make sure the system continues to be as effective as possible.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what has been the life expectancy in Afghanistan in each year since 1979;
	(2)  what the literacy rate has been in Afghanistan in each year since 1979.

Hilary Benn: Due to conflict and political instability, reliable data is not available between 1978 to 2001, but there are many reasons to believe that social indicators such as life expectancy and literary rates, have deteriorated during this time.
	The most recent figures from the World Health Organisation show that the average life expectancy in Afghanistan is 42.6 years.
	The most recent figures from the UN show adult literacy rates at 36 per cent.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of people in Afghanistan consume less than the minimum daily calorific requirement.

Hilary Benn: According to the last national vulnerability assessment report in Afghanistan for 2003, it is estimated that 20–24 per cent. of the population get less than the minimum daily calorie requirement.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his estimate is of the proportion of the population in Afghanistan who live on less than one dollar per day.

Hilary Benn: The latest World Bank figures show that the majority (53 per cent.) of the population in Afghanistan live below the poverty line, surviving on less than $1 per day. 70 per cent. live below $2 per day. The principal cause of such poverty is prolonged violence and conflict in Afghanistan. Severe drought during the 1990's further worsened the position of many Afghans.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the latest (a) child and (b) maternal mortality rate in Afghanistan is.

Hilary Benn: The most recent figures from the World Health Organisation show infant mortality rates at 165 per 1,000 live births; under 5 mortality rates 257 per 1,000 and maternal mortality 820 per 100,000 live births.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken (a) with the Afghan Transitional Administration and (b) with the private sector to support the development of sustainable livelihoods for poor Afghans.

Hilary Benn: DFID is working with the Afghan Government and other international donors to support the development of sustainable livelihoods through the Natural Resource Management and Livelihoods and Social Protection Consultative Groups. DFID's livelihoods programme is concentrating resources on development priorities as set out by the Afghan Transitional Administration in the National Development budget.
	DFID is funding a mixture of practical research, income generation activities, community development projects and technical assistance and training in the Ministries of Rural Rehabilitation and Development and Agriculture and Animal Husbandry.
	DFID is also an active participant in the Consultative Group on Trade and Investment, the donor and Government consultative group that drives trade and investment and private sector development strategy in Afghanistan and is in dialogue with members of the Afghan business community. In addition, DFID currently financially supports (£3 million over three years) the Microfinance Investment and Support Facility Afghanistan (MISFA), which provides financial services to poor and low-income households, to enable them to invest in enterprise activities, meet emergency needs, reduce vulnerability, and build assets.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the Afghan Transitional Administration about the effectiveness of humanitarian aid provided by his Department.

Hilary Benn: DFID staff in Kabul are in regular contact with the Afghan Government discussing a range of issues, including humanitarian assistance. In mid- June a team will hold discussions with the Afghan Government and other agencies about the effectiveness of past humanitarian support, and the priorities that exist for programming funds in the current financial year. In addition to this, DFID is participating with a number of donors in a joint evaluation to assess the effectiveness of their humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in Afghanistan since 2001.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his most recent estimate is of Afghanistan's annual gross domestic product per capita.

Hilary Benn: The International Monetary Fund's most recent estimate of gross domestic product per capita is US$186.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the level of private sector investment in Afghanistan was in each of the last three years.

Hilary Benn: Until the formation of the Afghan Investment Support Agency (AISA) in 2003, there was no way to track the amount or level of investment in Afghanistan. AISA figures show that by the end of 2003, $22 million had been invested by 24 companies, 70 per cent. of whom were foreign companies. In the half year from January 2004, the number of new investors increased to 369 with total investment amounting to around $360 million.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money was (a) committed and (b) spent by his Department on the national development framework in Afghanistan in each of the last two years.

Hilary Benn: DFID provide around half of our annual development assistance through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), which funds the National Development Budget.
	In the last two financial years, DFID have delivered the funds committed to the ARTF. In 2002–2003 DFID provided £15 million through the ARTF, and in 2003–2004 this increased to £30 million. DFID will provide a further £45 million to the ARTF for 2004–05, of which £25 million has been disbursed.
	Apart from DFID's ARTF contributions, the majority of DFID's bilateral programme also focuses on priority programmes in the National Development Framework.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the nature is of the technical support provided by his Department for the political transition process in Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: No technical assistance has been provided directly by DFID for the political transition process in Afghanistan. In 2003, DFID contributed £1 million to support the constitutional process in Afghanistan through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). DFID also funded a political and constitutional study, which was translated into Dari and Pashto. The new constitution was agreed in December 2003.
	DFID has contributed a total of £14.6 million to the elections process so far. This includes support for voter registration provided through UNDP, civic education through Swiss Peace and building the capacity of the Afghan media through the BBC.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps have been taken by his Department to improve economic and financial management in Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: DFID is working closely with the Ministry of Finance to enhance domestic revenues. Domestic revenues generated from customs revenues and domestic taxation amounted to US$ 200 million for Solar Year 1382. This constituted a small proportion of the US$ 2.2 billion budget. Increasing the government's capacity to generate domestic revenues is vital if Afghanistan is to cease being aid-dependent in the future. DFID is supporting the Ministry of Finance in undertaking both customs and tax reform over the next three years.
	DFID is also supporting the Afghan Government in modernising its budget formulation process. DFID is assisting the Afghan Transitional Administration in formulating the budget on good budgeting principles which focus on achieving service delivery. The introduction and implementation of good budgetary practices will in time lead to a full Medium Term Budget Programme which will have a unified current and capital budget based on available resources allocated to priority programmes.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps have been taken by his Department to develop public administration in Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: DFID plays a key role in addressing the public administration needs of Afghanistan. As well as the three capacity building projects in the Ministry of Finance, DFID is providing $2.5 million to the World Bank lead Second Emergency Public Administration Project (total grant value $10.9 million), which will support the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC) to manage administrative reform in Afghanistan and to recruit and manage a professional and ethical civil service into the future. The IARCSC will use a merit-based recruitment process, which should contribute both to a professionalisation of the civil service and to a decrease in the destabilising tendency toward ethnic concentration in ministries and Departments.
	DFID is to date the largest single donor to the Afghanistan Stabilisation Programme (ASP), which aims to re-establish governance and public administration throughout the provinces and districts of Afghanistan. The total value of this programme is £173 million, to which DFID has contributed £20 million. The ASP will reconstruct district administration buildings where necessary, establish communications and support the recruitment and management of effective personnel. This will contribute to an improvement in public services to provinces and districts, as well as to strengthening the centre's relations to the populations outside Kabul and the bigger cities.
	DFID is also contributing £1 million to the development of an effective cabinet secretariat, which will facilitate rational decision-making at the centre of Government.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will provide a breakdown of his Department's expenditure on the UK Delivery Plan in support of the Afghan national strategy.

Hilary Benn: The UK Drugs Delivery Plan is costed for the first three years of the strategy. DFID's contributions are in the area of alternative livelihoods and are broken down in the following table.
	
		
			  Amount (£ million) 
		
		
			 2003–04 1.6 
			 2004–05 1.9 
			 2005–06 1.9 
		
	
	In addition to the money allocated under the UK Drugs Delivery Plan, DFID disbursed just over £5 million for livelihoods programmes and projects in 2003–04, and has allocated a further £12 million in the current financial year.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what targets were set for his Department's work with the Aga Khan Foundation in Badakhshan on Integrated Rural Rehabilitation to improve livelihoods and curb poppy cultivation; and what results have been achieved.

Hilary Benn: The objective of the Aga Khan Foundation project in Badakhshan is to provide support for sustainable economic and social incentives to make food production and off-farm employment an attractive alternative to opium cultivation. DFID has agreed with the Aga Khan Foundation, a range of activities and outputs for the project, including the stimulation of rural incomes and improved agricultural production through training, agricultural inputs such as seed and fertilizer, and improved veterinary facilities. Progress against these is regularly monitored but it remains too early in the project to assess results.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the role of his Department has been in implementing the Development of Sustainable Agricultural Livelihoods project in Eastern Hazarajat; and what the results of the project have been.

Hilary Benn: DFID is funding the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation £3.8 million over four years to implement the Development of Sustainable Agricultural Livelihoods project in Eastern Hazarajat. The project has now been under implementation for 10 months.
	The project has established a management and administration unit in Eastern Hazarajat. Surveys of existing livelihood systems and of local institutional capacity have been carried out. The project is now working with farmer-based organisations, the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and local NGOs to select communities for piloting measures to improve food security and create opportunities for income generation and employment. It is intended to scale up successful experience from these pilots more widely in the region.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total sum of short-term bridging funding has been by his Department for micro-credit initiatives through BRAC; and what the results have been.

Hilary Benn: DFID provided a bridging fund of £203,931 to BRAC for its micro-credit project in Afghanistan. DFID's grant assisted BRAC to open branch offices in 14 districts of four provinces, establish 388 Village Organisations, and disburse more than US$650,000 of loan to around 7,000 women borrowers.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total sum of short-term bridging funding has been by his Department for the development of livelihoods monitoring through the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development and the Afghan Research and Evaluation Unit; and what the findings of the monitoring have been.

Hilary Benn: DFID provided £50,000 to fund the Afghan Research and Evaluation Unit in 2003–04 to assess the information generated by the Vulnerability Assessment Mapping review in 2002 and the contribution that information made to the programming of humanitarian interventions and its potential value to 2003.
	DFID is also providing £538,536 funding to a consortium of NGOs consisting of ACF, GOAL and Save the Children (US) to pilot a standardized round of data collection, analysis and dissemination for the National Surveillance System in seven provinces.
	The piloting phase focused on testing methodologies and data collection techniques appropriate for the Afghanistan context, building capacity and structures at the provincial level to collect and manage data and use the findings to advocate for programs and/or target resources for already existent programs, and providing information on the feasibility of running an effective national level system. It also provided in depth information on livelihoods, food security and nutrition situation in the seven provinces where government surveillance units were active. To further develop a national methodology, implement a second round of data collection and link results to programming, and further develop capacity of key government staff at district and provincial levels.
	The completion of these activities will lay the groundwork for an EU funded four-year project for the 2004 National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment to be implemented through the Vulnerability and Analysis Unit of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development. This is scheduled to start in July-August 2004.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the extent to which the constitutional consultation process in Afghanistan is taking account of the views and interests of women.

Hilary Benn: DFID contributed £650,000 to support the public consultation on the constitution and preparations for the Constitutional Loya Jirga which was held in December 2003.
	Women's rights were explicitly protected in Afghanistan's constitution. The final charter avoids making any explicit reference to Shari'a, the traditional Islamic law that is often interpreted to discriminate against women. It guarantees that "any kind of discrimination and privilege between the citizens of Afghanistan are prohibited. The citizens of Afghanistan—whether man or woman—have equal rights and duties before the law."
	Female delegates at the Constitutional Loya Jirga also argued successfully to double the number of seats for women in the Wolesi Jirga (House of People). Women will now comprise 25 per cent. of this body. The constitution also requires that 50 percent of presidential appointments to the Meshrano Jirga (House of Elders) will be women.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance has been provided by his Department to the Public Information Unit of the Afghan Transitional Administration to improve communication with the population.

Hilary Benn: DFID is providing £1.5 million over three years to build the public information capacity of the Office of the President. The project will be administered by the United Nations Development Programme and will begin later this year.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the extent to which the national education budget of Afghanistan is meeting needs; and what advice has been provided by his Department.

Hilary Benn: Since the fall of the Taliban, donors have been working through the Afghan Education Consultative Group to improve access to education and increase enrolment. The results look encouraging. More than four million children have returned to school, 37 per cent. of them girls. There are now 70,000 teachers (one third are women) and 6,500 schools.
	DFID is not a member of the Afghan Education Consultative Group. In line with the Transitional Administration's National Development Framework which is designed to coordinate assistance from donors and multilateral organisations, the British Government has concentrated our assistance on areas where DFID can have most impact. DFID's focus has been on helping to put in place an economic management framework, improving livelihoods in rural and provincial areas, security sector reform and counter narcotics.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the extent to which donors to Afghanistan have provided the technical assistance required to establish a sustainable health system.

Hilary Benn: DFID has made no specific assessment of technical assistance (TA) being provided by the international community.
	DFID is currently providing two consultants to the Ministry of Health (MoH). Their Terms of Reference are for them to work very closely with Health Ministers. Although one of these consultants will not be visiting Afghanistan until next month, the other one has been working with the MoH for the last two years and feedback that we have from the MoH is that this assistance has been of very high quality.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent input has been made by his Department to the development of health policy in Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: Over the last two years DFID has been providing strategic support to the Ministry of Health (MoH). DFID has supported development of their interim health strategy and provided consultants to start mapping out policy options in budgeting, health financing, human resources and hospital management.
	DFID has also agreed to help implement the MoH's Priority Reform and Restructuring programme in the: (i) Liaison Office of Provincial Health; (ii) 32 Provincial Health Offices; (iii) Policy and Planning Department; and (iv) Health Care and Promotion Department. This will be over three years.
	DFID's assistance has been and will continue to be coordinated through the Health Sector Consultative Group.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to enable the Afghan Transitional Administration to tackle its capacity constraints.

Hilary Benn: DFID is financing three capacity building projects within the Afghan Ministry of Finance. The three-year project to support the Afghan Customs Department will strengthen the institutional capacity of the Afghan Customs Department to formulate and implement policy, to manage human resources, define and deliver on training needs, to organise its workload effectively and ethically.
	The three-year project to support the Afghan Tax Administration will increase capacity within the General Presidency of Revenue (GPR) to implement strategic policy through modernisation of revenue administration, development of a comprehensive legislative base for taxation policy and administrative reform, training and capacity building of the workforce.
	The three-year Budget Formulation Project will strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Finance to lead and co-ordinate the budget formulation process, and strengthen the capacity of Afghan ministries to formulate their budgets on good budgeting principles eventually leading towards the implementation of a Medium Term Budget Programme.
	DFID is also supporting the overall capacity constraints that face the Transitional Afghan Administration by supporting the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC) to develop and implement a system for managing a skilled, professional and ethical civil service. Together with the World Bank, DFID is contributing a total of $10.9 million, of which $2.5 million is a contribution by DFID. This grant will increase the ability of the IARCSC to manage the capacity needs of the future.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the size is of Afghanistan's current debt to international financial institutions.

Hilary Benn: Following the clearance of the arrears to multilateral institutions, Afghanistan's current debt outstanding is US$49.5 million to the World Bank and US$9.2 million to the Asian Development Bank.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total financial allocation was of his Department's Asia division to Afghanistan in 2003–04.

Hilary Benn: The total financial allocation from Asia division to Afghanistan in 2003–04 was £75 million.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money from the Global Conflict Prevention Pool was spent in Afghanistan in 2003–04.

Hilary Benn: In 2003–04, £12 million was spent in Afghanistan from the Afghanistan Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP) strategy, and £8.4 million from the Counter Narcotics GCPP strategy.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total amount was of EU Development Assistance to Afghanistan in 2003–04; and if he will give a breakdown of the expenditure.

Hilary Benn: In 2003, the European Commission delivered over €300 million (including extra €50 million to promote security by supporting police salaries and training, and €55 million from the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO). The breakdown of this funding is shown below.
	
		Funding to Afghanistan in 2003
		
			  £millions 
			 Recovery and reconstruction 2003 committed 2003 contracted 2003 contracted percentage 
		
		
			 Aid to uprooted people * — — 
			 Reconstruction support first tranche 79.5 73 — 
			 Reconstruction support—second tranche 79.5 42 — 
			 Food security 30 5.5 — 
			 Rapid reaction mechanism — — — 
			 Return of Afghan nationals 7 3.5 — 
			 Reallocation of ALA under-committed funds to Afghanistan 50 50 — 
			 Total reconstruction support 246 174 70 
			 Humanitarian ECHO 55 50.4 92 
			 Total humanitarian and development 301 224 75 
		
	
	These figures are available on the EU website at http://europa.eu.int

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his latest assessment is of progress in the implementation of the Bonn Agreement in relation to Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: Good progress has been made towards implementing the Bonn Agreement in Afghanistan, most recently the adoption of a new constitution at the Constitutional Loya Jirga in December last year. The next big challenge will be elections, which are due to be held in September this year.

Afghanistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the programme management responsibilities are of his Department's office in Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: Responsibility for management of DFID's programme in Afghanistan is split between the DFID office in Kabul and the DFID Afghanistan desk in London. The Afghanistan programme is presently working towards full devolution of programme management to Kabul, the timing of which will depend on the security situation in Afghanistan.

Africa

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with UK industry on facilitating the use of alternative energy technologies in Africa.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID recognises the importance of improving access to affordable and sustainable energy services in Africa, in support of livelihoods and in the provision of social services. This is particularly difficult in rural areas where conventional technologies, such as grid-connected electricity, are expensive or impractical. Decentralised options using alternative technologies, including those based on renewable energy, may help provide a solution to meeting energy requirements.
	DFID is working with international networks such as the Global Village Energy Partnership and the EU Energy Initiative to promote access to energy services, drawing on the full menu of technology options. This is a commitment in the UK Energy White Paper of February 2003. DFID is also working with other Government Departments, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department of Trade and Industry, to ensure that their efforts to promote alternative technologies and the interest of UK industry is consistent with our poverty reduction objectives.
	In addition, DFID maintains contact with UK business groups such as the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE), which was established in 2001 to promote sustainable energy, including the greater global use of renewable energy.

Cameroon

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what his Department's expenditure was on forestry-related projects in Cameroon in (a) 2001, (b) 2002, (c) 2003 and (d) 2004; what the projected spending is for (i) 2005 and (ii) 2006; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans his Department has to support efforts to (a) combat trade in illegal timber and (b) promote reform of the forestry sector in Cameroon; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what action the Government is taking to support efforts to (a) combat the trade in illegal timber and (b) reform the forestry sector in Cameroon; and if he will make a statement on his Department's objectives for work in the country;
	(4)  what analysis his Department has undertaken of the state of the forestry sector in Cameroon;
	(5)  what his Department's commitments are to funding community development projects in Cameroon; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development's (DFID) expenditure on forestry-related projects in Cameroon over the past three financial years has been: (a) 2001, £2.6 million (b) 2002, £2.4 million; (c) 2003, £1.0 million 1 . The planning figure for 2004–05 is £3 million. DFID's future forestry support of Cameroon will be focused on the African Forestry Law Enforcement and Governance initiative. DFID plans to commit £11 million over the next four years in support of the Cameroon Government's Forest and Environment Sector Programme (FESP).
	The FESP is being implemented by the Government with support from DFID, the World Bank, the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), the Canadian International Development Institute (CIDA), the European Union (EU) and the French Development Agency (AFD). The programme aims to implement wide ranging institutional reform and an effective strategy to control illegal logging, and to take measures to consolidate the rights of communities and protect the community forests from industrial exploitation. In particular, community development will be supported through the redistribution of a proportion of forestry revenues to rural communities. DFID also plans to develop a related initiative to strengthen the contribution of civil society and the private sector to forest sector reform.
	Extensive analysis of the forestry sector has been undertaken by the Government, DFID and other donors as part of the FESP appraisal process, including a thorough social, economic and environmental assessment. In addition, DFID and the World Bank have commissioned reviews of over 10 years of fiscal and community forest reform.
	DFID is strongly committed to stopping illegal logging and international trade in illegally produced forest products. One of the central aims of the reform programme is to stop illegal logging through (i) strengthening the capacity of government regulatory agencies (ii) introducing new forest management standards and regulatory systems (iii) encouraging increased community involvement (iv) encouraging private sector involvement in the management and (v) maintaining the independent monitor of forest operations.
	Specifically, DFID has funded an independent body (Global Witness) to monitor the conduct of forest operations for the past three years in order to improve governance and transparency in the forest sector. DFID also strongly endorses the EU Forest Law and Governance Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan. We are encouraging the Government of Cameroon to develop a Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the EU to support its reforms and prevent illegal exports of timber. Such an agreement would strengthen government efforts to stop illegal logging and promote sustainable forestry.
	In addition to Community Development support through the FESP, DFID funds various community development projects. The Small Grants Scheme, operating through the British High Commission, supports a wide range of development proposals from different Non Governmental Organisations and Community Based Organisations on a annual basis (e.g. in Human rights, Education, Health, Water and Sanitation). DFID also supports a Capacity Building Programme run by the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) to strengthen civil society organisations in the forest sector. Assistance is also provided to the Cameroon Mountain Conservation Foundation (CAMCOF), to provide funding to enable communities to be engaged in biodiversity conservation and its sustainable use, thereby improving livelihoods.
	1 Rounded to the nearest £100,000

DAC/OECD Taskforce

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the role of the UK Government with regard to the DAC-OECD Task Force.

Hilary Benn: A senior DFID official chaired the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Task Force on Donor Practices and Aid Harmonisation. The Task Force produced the DAC Guidelines 'Harmonising Donor Practices for Effective Aid Delivery' which set out good practices for improving harmonisation. At the DAC High Level Forum in Rome, February 2003, the representatives of 51 multilateral and bilateral development agencies, including DFID, and 28 developing countries endorsed the Guidelines and committed themselves to taking forward this agenda. DFID produced a Harmonisation Action Plan in February 2003 that we are due to report on (at the DAC) in early July.
	Following the Rome Declaration, the DAC Working Party on Aid Effectiveness and Donor Practices was established to further the work of the DAC Task Force. DFID is represented at official level on the Working Party and its sub-groups; the Task Team on Harmonisation and Alignment, Joint Venture on Public Financial Management, Joint Venture on Managing for Development Results, Procurement Capacity Building and Aid Untying. DFID staff members have attended meetings of all five subgroups since their inception, making a significant contribution to their work programmes. A second High Level Forum will take place in Paris in March 2005, to take stock of progress and accelerate action in key areas.

DAC/OECD Taskforce

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what approach the UK Government is taking with regard to the regulation of aid-giving policies encouraged by the DAC-OECD Task Force, with specific reference to Africa.

Hilary Benn: The main output of the OECD Development Assistance Committee Task Force on Donor Practices was a report in 2003 on "Harmonising Donor Practices for Effective Aid Delivery". Rather than seeking to regulate aid donor behaviour, it sets out good practices for donors to follow. DFID has adopted an Action Plan to promote Harmonisation, which aims to reinforce on-going changes within DFID (as well as encouraging similar reforms in other donor agencies). These changes make procedures simpler and more flexible, so that we can more easily harmonise with other donors, align our assistance with national poverty reduction strategies, and make greater use of partner government systems (rather than separate parallel channels) where this is appropriate. DFID is also aligning its own internal incentives to ensure that they encourage staff to promote these good practices.
	Harmonisation is a particularly high priority for African governments which find dealing with a large number of donor agencies burdensome. DFID supports many country-led harmonisation initiatives like Uganda's Partnership Principles and Rwanda's Partnership Framework, and has led donor efforts to harmonise budget support in several countries including Ethiopia, Ghana and Mozambique. DFID also plays a leading role in the Strategic Partnership with Africa which is a World Bank-chaired forum bringing together representatives of major donors and African governments to challenge and help donors to improve their performance.

Departmental Staff

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of (a) his Department's and (b) Commonwealth Development Corporation staff were (i) women and (ii) from ethnic minorities in each year since 1997, broken down by grade.

Gareth Thomas: Details of the percentages of women and ethnic minorities (i.e. where ethnicity has been declared) in DFID's civil service staff, by grade from 1998 onwards, are set out in table A.
	Comparable gender data is not available for 1997, and ethnicity data is not available prior to 2001.
	Details of the percentages of women and ethnic minorities in the CDC Group Plc (known as the Commonwealth Development Corporation until 1999) have been obtained directly from the CDC Group Plc and are set out in table B.
	
		Table A: DFID -- Percentage
		
			 Grade 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Senior civil service 
			 Women N/A 18.4 17.5 14.3 16.0 16.7 20.6 22.7 
			 Ethnic minorities N/A N/A N/A N/A 6.7 11.4 9.1 10.6 
			 A1 
			 Women N/A 11.7 12.2 19.2 24.2 25.0 24.5 29.1 
			 Ethnic minorities N/A N/A N/A N/A (7)— 7.4 8.0 12.5 
			 A2 
			 Women N/A 26.4 26.7 27.7 33.3 39.2 40.2 43.8 
			 Ethnic minorities N/A N/A N/A N/A 4.9 6.9 7.9 8.9 
			 A3 
			 Women N/A 39.7 43.8 50.0 50.0 49.1 54.2 52.3 
			 Ethnic minorities N/A N/A N/A N/A 5.7 9.1 10.0 12.2 
			 B1 
			 Women N/A 38.5 36.8 40.3 42.2 44.0 45.9 45.9 
			 Ethnic minorities N/A N/A N/A N/A 4.7 11.6 9.3 18.0 
			 B2 
			 Women N/A 49.1 49.2 50.0 51.9 54.1 52.5 52.4 
			 Ethnic minorities N/A N/A N/A N/A 9.6 13.0 13.9 14.5 
			 C1 
			 Women N/A 65.4 66.1 70.0 68.2 67.3 66.9 66.8 
			 Ethnic minorities N/A N/A N/A N/A 14.2 16.6 17.6 13.6 
			 C2 
			 Women N/A 55.9 58.1 55.6 56.7 51.1 56.7 51.8 
			 Ethnic minorities N/A N/A N/A N/A 9.8 10.0 9.2 16.7 
		
	
	(7) Not known.
	
		Table B: CDC Group plc -- Percentage
		
			  Women Ethnic Minorities 
		
		
			 1997 N/A N/A 
			 1998 32.8 5.3 
			 1999 33.8 4.8 
			 2000 33.8 4.8 
			 2001 32.3 4.7 
			 2002 32.3 6.5 
			 2003 35.8 6.4 
			 2004 61.4 7.6

Extractive Industries

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make it his policy to support each of the recommendations of the World Bank's Extractive Industries Review.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) on 1 March 2004, Official Report, column 619W.

Faayab (Development Assistance)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with his colleagues in the European Union about the EU Development Assistance project in Faayab that was interrupted in April 2003.

Hilary Benn: DFID officials have regular contact with European Union colleagues about assistance to Afghanistan. However, they are not aware of any discussions about this particular project.

India

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid his Department has provided to India in each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: Total annual DFID 1 bilateral programme expenditure in India from 1996–97 to 2003–04 was as follows:
	1 DFID came into being in May 1997. Expenditure in 1996–97 was by the Overseas Development Administration (ODA).
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1996–97 92.04 
			 1997–98 80.36 
			 1998–99 88.78 
			 1999–2000 102.12 
			 2000–01 116.91 
			 2001–02 184.97 
			 2002–03 160.87 
			 2003–04 (8)198.05 
		
	
	(8) Estimated spend.
	Source:
	Statistics for International Development (various years).

Indonesia

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance is being offered to Indonesia following the evacuation of 20,000 people from villages on Sangihe Island.

Hilary Benn: None. The Indonesian authorities, working with local NGOs, are managing the evacuation well and have not asked for international assistance. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is monitoring the situation and is prepared to provide assistance, and co-ordinate international support, if needed. DFID is providing financial support for OCHA operations in Indonesia, and this will be available for evacuees from Sangihe Island, should it be required.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a list of (a) allocations made so far and (b) decisions for allocations not yet disbursed, and the sum involved in each case, by the Coalition Provisional Authority Programme Review Board in respect of the Development Fund for Iraq.

Hilary Benn: As of 4 June 2004, total disbursements from the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) amounted to $11.0 billion, as shown in the following table.
	An estimated $3.7 billion in outstanding commitments is expected to be disbursed by the end of 2004.
	The main expenditure areas are: the wheat purchase program, the currency exchange program, the electricity and oil infrastructure programs, equipment for Iraqi security forces, and for Iraqi civil service salaries and ministry budget operations.
	A detailed breakdown of expenditures under the DFI and the minutes of the Programme Review Board (PRB) meetings are publicly accessible and regularly posted on: www.iraqcoalition.org/budqet
	
		Development Fund of Iraq as at June 2004
		
			  Disbursements since inception ($) 
		
		
			 Baghdad Central 2,635,799.40 
			 Central Bank of Iraq 23,482,105.44 
			 CJTF 7 12,146,904.60 
			 Coalition Military Assistance Training Team 18,787,188.14 
			 Commanders Emergency Response Program 386,583,988.00 
			 Communication Support Office 1,659,897.06 
			 Comptrollers Office 2,100,000.00 
			 CPA Front Office 2,160,290.16 
			 Governance 10,000.00 
			 Ministry of Agriculture 20,097,406.30 
			 Ministry of Communications 2,080,000.00 
			 Ministry of Culture 20,000.00 
			 Ministry of Education 1,100,000.00 
			 Ministry of Electricity 155,353,242.74 
			 Ministry of Finance 7,956,060,416.57 
			 Ministry of Housing and Construction 405,031.66 
			 Ministry of Interior 46,851,310.60 
			 Ministry of Justice 1,000,219.50 
			 Ministry of National Security and Defence 3,130,506.39 
			 Ministry of Oil 1,551,233,904.96 
			 Ministry of Planning 5,558,698.00 
			 Ministry of Public Works 26,116.00 
			 Ministry of Trade 129,381,909.68 
			 Ministry of Transportation 1,706,687.00 
			 Office of Security Cooperation 10,711,762.32 
			 Private Sector Development 13,665.00 
			 Program Management Office 17,920,000.00 
			 Rapid Regional Response Program 195,251,744.69 
			 Regional Projects—CPA South 28,924,414.64 
			 State Oil Marketing Organisation 20,178,353.52 
			 Strategic Communications 361,000.00 
			 US Army Corps of Engineers 302,979,304.13 
			 World Food Programme 143,376,100.00 
			 Total 11,043,287,966.50 
		
	
	Source:
	www.iraqcoalition.org

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the response of the Coalition Provisional Authority Programme Review Board has been to the inquiry of the International Advisory and Monitoring Board in respect of the Development Fund for Iraq about why the fund had paid Halliburton for uncontested contracts; how much money is involved in such contracts; which companies were the beneficiaries; what the position of the UK representative on the Review Board was; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The International Audit and Monitoring Board (IAMB) has sought clarification on the use of non-competitive bidding procedures for some contracts funded from the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) and has requested access to US Government Agency audits of sole-sourced contracts funded by the DFI. The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) Administrator has reported that the CPA is liaising with US Government Agencies to obtain copies of the audit reports.
	The DFI Program Review Board assesses and approves expenditure proposals only for the DFI, not contractors. The UK representative on the Programme Review Board (PRB) does not, therefore, take a position on specific contractual decisions. Neither DFID, nor the IAMB, have a comprehensive breakdown of the value and allocation of sole-sourced DFI contracts. A complete picture of the value of sole-sourced DFI contracts awaits the analysis of the audit reports.
	The UK fully supports the role of the IAMB.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the members of the Coalition Provisional Authority Programme Review Board responsible for the Development Fund for Iraq; who appointed them; and whom they represent.

Hilary Benn: The voting members of the Iraqi Coalition Provisional Authority Program Review Board (PRB) are representatives of: the Iraqi Minister of Finance; the Iraqi Ministry of Planning and Development Co-operation; the CPA's Economic Affairs, Governance and Security Policy Offices, and Office of Infrastructure and Operations; the Coalition Military (Combined Joint Task Force 7); the Iraqi Council for International Co-operation; USAID; and the Governments of the United Kingdom and Australia. Members are appointed by the CPA Administrator.

National Area-Based Development Programme

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will provide a breakdown of his Department's contribution to the National Area-Based Development Programme; and what assessment he has made of the results of the programme.

Hilary Benn: DFID provided £1 million to the National Area-Based Development Programme in 2002. The programme has implemented a number of recovery projects, through NGOs, in 17 provinces in the education, infrastructure, health, irrigation, shelter and water supply sectors. Capacity building activities have also been undertaken in the lead Government Ministry, and the Ministry of Rural Reconstruction and Development (MRRD) to ensure they are able to successfully implement the programme.

Nepal

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the work of the Pahar Trust in Nepal.

Gareth Thomas: Although DFID is aware of the work of the Pahar Trust in school construction and friendship links between schools in the UK and Nepal, there has been no DFID assessment made of their work.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent donor governments meeting held in Geneva to discuss what help should be made available for Darfur, Sudan.

Hilary Benn: On 3 June, a meeting of donors took place in Geneva to discuss the donor response to the humanitarian situation in Darfur, Sudan. The UK was represented by Alan Goulty, UK Special Representative for Sudan.
	The meeting was co-chaired by the UN (Jan Egeland), EU (Tom Kitt, Minister for Development and Human Rights, Ireland) and Constanza Adonolfi, (Director of ECHO), and the US (Andrew Natsios, Administrator USAID). It was well attended by high level representatives of donors, UN agencies, NGOs and the Government of Sudan.
	The UN presented a 90 day plan for Darfur, and highlighted the unmet requirements of the Darfur and Chad appeal ($236 million). Pledges in response to this request amounted to approximately $57 million Additionally, the US pledged $188 million to be disbursed from 4 June to the end of 2005.
	The UK representative noted our commitment of over £19.5 million ($36.6 million) and anticipated that a further substantial commitment would be made during my visit to Sudan. I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made to the House on Wednesday 9 June, (column 275) where I stated that I had announced further funding of £15 million ($28.3 million).
	At the meeting in Geneva, donors and humanitarian agencies including the UK stressed to the Government of Sudan the need to ensure the protection and security of its citizens, to respect human rights, and to actively implement the provisions of the Ceasefire agreed on 8 April. All parties to the conflict should provide full and unfettered access to humanitarian organisations.

Sudan

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance the Government is providing to (a) the Government of Sudan and (b) non-governmental organisations operating in Sudan, indicating in each case (i) the amount and (ii) the use to which funds are being put; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID does not provide any direct financial assistance to the Government of Sudan. However, our embassy in Khartoum engages with the Government on a wide range of technical issues including human rights, debt relief, poverty reduction strategies, security reform, the rule of law and good governance. This engagement is supported in some instances by the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support to Government of Sudan and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) officials.
	DFID's support to non-governmental organisations since the beginning of April 2004 is listed as follows.
	
		Assistance provided by DFID to non-governmental organisations in Sudan since 1 April 2004
		
			 NGO Project £ 
		
		
			 Action Contre la Faim (ACF) Food security and surveillance programme in Bentiu, Rob Kona and Unity state to detect and treat malnourished among the vulnerable and war displaced 316,426 
			 ACF To provide emergency treatment for severe malnutrition in the Red Sea 202,593 
			 ACF Emergency Nutrition Programme in North Darfur 250,000 
			 CARE NGO initiative to strengthen, coordinate and facilitate local and international' NGOs efforts to influence and support the establishment and consolidation of a just and lasting peace 374,544 
			 Concern Supplementary and Community Therapeutic Care Emergency Nutrition to reduce the high malnutrition rates through targeted feeding for children under the age of five and pregnant and lactating mothers 300,000 
			 Debt Relief International To increase the knowledge of the Sudanese parties particularly the SPLM on debt issues and the HIPC process 150,000 
			 Fondation Hirondelle Assessment mission on the development of a project to establish a radio network as part of the peace process 21,413 
			 GOAL To assist in disease prevention, Primary health care and flood relief in Kassala 96,000 
			 GOAL Emergency Assistance to Population in Kutum Province, North Darfur—through a combined Health, Nutrition and Shelter Intervention 575,963 
			 International Rescue Committee Support towards increasing the ability of Sudanese communities and civil societies to be powerful actors in peace building, reconstruction and development 750,000 
			 Medair Emergency Nutrition project to target 20,000 Murle people and 900 internal displaced people 114,500 
			 Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Health care Services in Jonglei to control main morbidity and mortality in the target areas 1,200,000 
			 MSF Health intervention to reduce morbidity and mortality from the main diseases amongst the displaced and conflict-affected population of the Wadi Sali, Mukjar, Mahalias, South Darfur State, Nyala and Mahalia areas 1,342,552 
			 MSF To control main morbidity and limit mortality in the target population through the provision of health care services 480,000 
			 MSF Health assistance for the residents and displaced populations in Jonglei and Upper Nile 424,000 
			 MSF Support to human trypanosomiasis to provide quality treatment for affected patients from Mundri counties 250,000 
			 MSF Three health interventions to reduce mortality and morbidity in Gederaf, Malkal and Wau states 350,000 
			 MSF Primary Health Programme to improve the overall health status of the population of Akop, Ananatak and Luacjang Payams in Tonj County Support to Primary Health Care in Tonj 265,439 
			 MSF Emergency Assistance to IDPs in Darfur—through increasing access to health care in conflict areas 491,369 
			 MSF Darfur Components of Emergency Health Interventions in Northern Sudan Project 650,000 
			 Oxfam Emergency Food and Nutrition intervention in Red Sea State to provide treatment for severe malnutrition 637,220 
			 Oxfam Public Health Humanitarian Response Darfur (Water/Sanitation Programme) 2,193,161 
			 Rift Valley Institute (RVI) Training course to increase participants effectiveness and to deepen understanding of the operating environment in Sudan 38,110 
			 RVI A survey to identify and mobilise the skills that exist in South Sudan and identify how they can be harnessed to perform key functions in the public sector in the transition to peace 198,220 
			 RVI A baseline study to provide a baseline record and a preliminary contextual analysis of the peace process in Sudan 58,096 
			 Save the Children Case resolution of and the eradication abduction of women and children in Sudan 500,000 
			 Save the Children Emergency Response to Conflict Related Internal Displacement in North Darfur 500,000 
			 Skills for Sudan Good Governance and policy issues workshop to assist the SPLM prepare good policies for Southern Sudan following the implementation of the peace process 74,490 
			 Skills for Sudan A survey to identify and mobilise the skills that exist in South Sudan and identify how they can be harnessed to perform key functions in the public sector in the transition to peace 198,220 
			 Tear Fund Nutrition and capacity building programme to improve health status 149,686 
			 Tear Fund To reduce high malnutrition rates in Aweil West through targeted feeding 618,584 
			 Tear Fund Emergency Nutrition, Health and Food Security: to continue to provide health care and to reduce, malnutrition 586,531 
			 Tear Fund To improve health status as indicated by lower morbidity and mortality rates related to nutrition maternal and childhood diseases among the risk populations of IDP camps in Khartoum State 122,046 
			 World Vision Emergency Nutrition in Tonj County to set up 10 supplementary dry distribution centres and two therapeutic feeding centres 513,706

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions have taken place between the United Kingdom Government and the Government of Sudan regarding reports of ethnic cleansing in the Darfur region of Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The report of the Office of the UN Commissioner for Human Rights identifies disturbing patterns of massive human rights violations in Darfur perpetrated by the Government of Sudan and the Janjaweed militia, many of which may constitute war crimes and/or crimes against humanity. The report makes no conclusion as to ethnic cleansing, though it notes that repeated attacks on civilians by Government of Sudan military and its proxy militia forces appear to have been largely ethnically based.
	DFID is in very close contact with the Government of Sudan about Darfur. My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Minister for Africa, and I made very strong representations to the Sudanese Foreign Minister when he visited London on 11 May. Since then I have had detailed discussions with the several Sudanese Government Ministers, including during my visit to Sudan on 6 to 8 June. The Sudanese Government can be in no doubt about the seriousness with which we view the situation.

Sudan

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether any of the money the UK is spending on the Darfur region of Sudan is being paid directly to (a) the UN co-ordination effort and (b) via any part of the Sudanese Government; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The information requested is as follows. a
	(a) The UK has contributed £12.6 million to UN agencies engaged in Darfur since September 2003 (see following table). This includes direct support to the UN Co-ordination effort of:
	four secondees to OCHA to assist in UN oversight of the response
	£250,000 and three secondees to the UN Joint Logistics Centre, to improve their co-ordination of the humanitarian response We are also considering further support to the UN Co-ordination through contributions of personnel, equipment and logistics to OCHA and WFP.
	(b) None of the UK contribution to the humanitarian response in Darfur is paid via any part of the Sudanese Government. A detailed breakdown of our agreed funding commitments is shown as follows.
	I refer the hon. Member for Cambridge to the Statement I made to the House on my return from Sudan on 9 June 2004, Official Report, column 275.
	
		
			  Date  Agency  Description Total cost (£) 
		
		
			 Agreed commitment to UN agencies 
			 October to December 2003 UNHCR Supplementary Appeal for Emergency Assistance to Sudanese Refugees in Eastern Chad—2003 1,000,000 
			 March 2004 to January 2005 UNHCR Emergency Assistance to Sudanese Refugees in Eastern Chad 1,000,000 
			 November 2003 to March 2004 WFP Additional Contribution to 2003 UN Appeal, due to Crisis in Darfur, to Provide Emergency Food Assistance to Sudanese Populations Affected by War and Natural Disasters 2,000,000 
			 March to December 2004 WFP Emergency Distribution of Food Aid Commodities to Sudanese Refugees in North East Chad 1,000,000 
			 May to December 2004 WFP Emergency purchase and distribution of Food Aid for internally displaced Sudanese in Darfur. 2,000,000 
			 February to December 2004 UNICEF Emergency Assistance to Humanitarian Crisis in Darfur for Health; Water Supply; Water and Environmental Sanitation; Relief and Shelter Items; and the Protection of Children 1,000,000 
			 May to December 2004 UNICEF Additional support to humanitarian assistance for crisis in Darfur; emergency nutrition; emergency health care and the protection of children 1,500,000 
			 May to November 2004 WHO Emergency primary health care and response to communicable diseases in Darfur; support to measles vaccination programme 1,500,000 
			 May to July 2004 UN Joint Logistics Centre Support to enable UNJLC to co-ordinate the logistics of an effective humanitarian response in Sudan 250,000 
			 Support to the ICRC 
			 November to December 2003 ICRC Contribution to the ICRC 2003 Emergency Appeal for Sudan 1,000,000 
			 June to December 2004 ICRC Contribution to the ICRC 2003 Emergency Appeal for Sudan 2,000,000 
			 Agreed Commitment to NGOS 
			 October 2003 to September 2004 SC-UK Emergency Response to Conflict Related Internal Displacement in North Darfur 500,000 
			 January to April 2004 MSF-F Emergency Assistance to IDPs in Darfur—through increasing access to health care in conflict areas, disease prevention, halting nutritional deterioration and treating malnourished children 491,369 
			 June to December 2004 MSF-F Emergency Assistance to IDPs in Darfur—through increasing access to health care in conflict areas, disease prevention, halting nutritional deterioration and treating malnourished children 1,006,860 
			 January to December 2004 MSF-H Darfur Components of Emergency Health Interventions in Northern Sudan Project 650,000 
			 February to November 2004 GOAL Emergency Assistance to Population in Kutum Province, North Darfur—through a combined Health, Nutrition and Shelter Intervention 575,963 
			 March to December 2004 ACF Emergency Nutrition Programme in North Darfur 250,000 
			 March to November 2004 ACF Emergency Nutrition Programme in North Darfur 623,326 
			 April to December 2004 OXFAM Public Health Humanitarian Response Darfur (Water/Sanitation Programme) 2,193,161 
			 May to October 2004 MSF-Belgium Emergency Health Care for IDPs in North Darfur 671,300 
			 May to October 2004 CARE Logistics operation to improve access to shelter and non-food items for IDPs in Greater Darfur 603,195 
			 June 2004 to March 2005 International Rescue Committee Provision of Environmental Health, Primary Health and Child Protection Services for War Affected Communities in North Darfur 728,849 
			 Secondments 
			 March to June 2004 OCHA Secondments of four staff (one Khartoum, three in Darfur) 218,759 
			 May to July 2004 UNJLC Secondment of three staff to UNJLC 125,000 
			 Non-food Items 
			 May to June 2004 WFP Provision of 264,800m of rope, 31,500 tarpaulins and 86,000 blankets 1,008,000 
			 Total Humanitarian Assistance (DFID) Committed to Darfur since September 2003   23,895,782 
			 Africa Conflict Prevention Pool 
			 May 2004 AU Monitoring Mission Support for swift deployment of AU monitors (from Africa Conflict Prevention Pool) 2,000,000 
			 Total UK Response to Darfur to date   25,895,782

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what discussions he had during his recent visit to Sudan on (a) ethnic cleansing in Darfur and (b) breaches in the ceasefire; and what access he had to internally displaced persons;
	(2)  whether he met Mr. Jan Egeland, the UN Emergency Relief Co-ordinator in Darfur during his recent visit; and what assessment he has made of Mr. Egeland's recent statements on the possibility of hundreds of thousands of people dying as a result of the situation in Sudan;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the health of people in Darfur, Sudan, following his recent visit.

Hilary Benn: I discussed the security situation in Darfur with the Sudanese Government including the First Vice President, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the Minister of Finance. I stressed to them the importance of respecting the terms of the 8 April ceasefire and the need to rein in the Janjaweed and stop attacks on internally displaced persons (IDPs) and civilians. In my statements I also called on rebel groups to respect the ceasefire. The recent UN report on human rights in Sudan, while identifying disturbing patterns of human rights violations, stopped short of calling the conflict ethnic cleansing.
	I met with the first African Union (AU) monitors in El Fasher, North Darfur. The AU is preparing to deploy 120 monitors across Darfur to support the terms of the 8 April ceasefire and the UK has contributed £2 million to the mission. We expect the deployment of ceasefire monitors to have a positive effect on the security situation.
	Mr. Egeland was not in Sudan during my visit. I met with Kevin Kennedy, Acting UN Resident Co-ordinator/Humanitarian Co-ordinator for Sudan and Tom Vraalsen, UN Secretary General's Envoy on Humanitarian Affairs.
	The security situation remains a real concern with attacks on civilians continuing. The scale of need is enormous and there are significant gaps in the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The onset of rains will hinder delivery and increase the vulnerability of the internally displaced persons. There is no doubt that urgent action is required by all parties. I echo Mr. Egeland's statements about the need for more donor assistance to Darfur. During my visit I announced a further allocation of £15 million for Darfur, taking the total UK allocation for humanitarian response to £34.5 million. DFID is also urging other donors to give more.
	During my visit to Sudan I saw first hand the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding in Darfur. This is the most serious humanitarian emergency in the world today and many lives are at risk. The UN estimates that over one million people have had to flee their homes and that a further 130,000 refugees have crossed into Eastern Chad. During my time in Darfur, I visited three camps for internally displaced people. I visited a Medecins Sans Frontières feeding centre for young children at Kalma camp, near Nyala in South Darfur, which has approximately 20,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs). At El Meshtel, near El Fasher in Northern Darfur, I visited a temporary camp where many people have no shelter and are waiting for transfer to Abu Shouk. I then visited Abu Shouk, which has 30,000 IDPs already there.
	I also spoke with representatives of UK funded NGOs and UN agencies engaged in provision of health care, including Medecins Sans Frontières the World Health Organisation and UNICEF. My visit and these discussions confirmed to me the gravity of the situation in Darfur, including that of the health of IDPs. There are high levels of malnutrition, and the lack of sanitation and adequate shelter is contributing to high child mortality rates. With the onset of rains, the risk from communicable diseases from poor sanitation will become more acute.

Trade Negotiations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will publish the influencing strategy on trading opportunities for developing countries referred to on page 189 of the 2004 Departmental Report.

Hilary Benn: I have placed copies of a document that sets out the main elements of DFID's Doha Development Agenda strategy 2004–2005 in the Libraries of both Houses. The document is entitled 'DFID Doha Development Agenda Strategy 2004–05'.

Water

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action has been taken on the recommendations made in the NAO report "Maximising impact in the water sector", published in January 2003, that his Department (a) should ensure that good quality information is available to assess progress towards poverty targets in those countries where it uses budget support to assist the water sector and (b) should give due weight to sanitation in developing its country assistance programmes.

Gareth Thomas: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) Where DFID provides general budget support, our assistance to sectors such as water can best be assessed in terms of the proportion of budget going to particular sectors and in consultation with other donors. However, in terms of impact, progress in the sector is best assessed by the data returned by the country departments themselves, supported where appropriate by technical assistance. For example, DFID have provided a water adviser to work with the Ministry of Finance in Uganda to assist in measurement of investment and impact in water and sanitation. Internationally, DFID provide support to the Joint Monitoring Programme of UNICEF and WHO, which assemble data on coverage by country, and DFID are currently supporting work to establish a better evidence base linking water and sanitation improvements to progress against the full range of poverty indicators using one of our Resource Centres.
	(b) It is correct that sanitation often does not get the prominence it deserves, particularly at the national government levels. But there are some good examples of how greater importance can be focused on sanitation. In Bangladesh for example DFID is supporting WaterAid in raising the profile of water and sanitation in the Poverty Reduction Strategy and national sanitation strategy, as well as provided financial assistance in holding a regional sanitation conference for South Asian countries at the end of 2003 resulting in a declaration signed by ministers from nine countries. These examples show what can be done and how a higher profile for sanitation can be achieved. DFID are working with other countries and donors and our research centres to build on these lessons.

Water

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of water scarcity in (a) Yemen, (b) North West India, (c) Western China and (d) parts of Mexico.

Gareth Thomas: In general terms, DFID agreed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg the target for all countries to develop Integrated Water Resources Management and Water Efficiency plans by 2005, with support to developing countries. DFID support the "Global Water Supply and Sanitation Assessment" reports of the UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring Programme which include water availability data and work under the Global Water partnership on integrated water resource management. These reviews assist in developing frameworks for better assessment, allocation and monitoring of water use, particularly in the water scarce areas mentioned.
	(a) In Yemen recent DFID visits confirm that there continues to be very poor management of the water resource and a lack of action by government and others to prevent what is expected to be a severe water crisis in the next few years. The donor community has tried to intervene in this sector with little success due to the poor institutional arrangements. DFID is funding community based water supplies through its contributions to the Social Fund for Development and is considering more direct engagement in the sector once our Yemen programme is more established.
	(b) In India DFID currently works in four focus states, none of which are in north-west India, as human development indicators for the NW states are relatively better than for other states where DFID work. As a result, DFID has not conducted specific examination of water scarcity in NW India nor undertaken specific projects there. However, our support to other programmes, notably through DFID-supported work with UNICEF, includes specific work on water scarcity in Rajasthan.
	(c) There are substantial shortages of water in China, particularly in the west and north. In China as a whole, per capita water availability is a quarter of the world average. Almost one third of the world's population without access to safe drinking water and sanitation live in China. Water scarcity is increasingly seen as a factor limiting overall economic growth. DFID has developed a significant water related programme with a total commitment of around £30 million. This includes assistance in revising the national water law to promote more sustainable use; improving water demand management in the two provinces in the north-west and north-east; improving irrigation water use; and rural water supply and sanitation programmes in the south-west. DFID has a close collaboration with the World Bank and others in this area.
	(d) DFID has no active water bilateral programme in Mexico although our support to international water programmes includes assistance to Mexico.

HEALTH

Abortion Clinics

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many abortion clinics have failed inspection by the National Care Standards Commission in the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many doctors employed in abortion clinics have been the subject of General Medical Council disciplinary proceedings since 1990;
	(3)  what safeguards are in place to ensure that abortions performed under section 1(1)(a) of the Abortion Act 1967 (as amended) take place within the 24-week time limit.

Melanie Johnson: No approved independent sector abortion clinics have been closed by the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC), through lack of compliance with the Private and Voluntary Healthcare (England) Regulations 2001 (the Regulations), since it came into being on 1 April 2002. Following the 2002–03 inspection, however, one clinic chose to close voluntarily in order to give the provider time to comply with the requirements set.
	Prior to 1 April 2002, abortion clinics were inspected separately by health authorities and the Department. In the last 10 years, one clinic had its registration under the Registered Homes Act 1984, and its approval under the Abortion Act 1967, withdrawn.
	The General Medical Council is an independent, statutory body. The Department does not hold information on doctors that have been the subject of General Medical Council disciplinary proceedings.
	Practitioners are legally required to send a notice of each termination performed in England to the chief medical officer. This notification must include details of the number of complete weeks of gestation and the grounds on which the abortion was carried out. Notifications are checked by the Department to ensure that the forms have been correctly completed. Statistics are published annually.

Agency Nurses

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was spent on agency nurses in (a) Hull and East Riding Hospitals NHS Trust and (b) Hull and East Riding Community Health NHS Trust in each year since 1997.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		(a) Expenditure on 'Agency Nurses' by Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals National Health Service Trusts—1997–98 to 2002–03 -- £
		
			 Trust name 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Royal Hull Hospitals NHS Trust 89,678 205,393 128,634 n/a n/a n/a 
			 East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 1,796 15,354 91,737 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Total 91,474 220,747 220,371 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust n/a n/a 159,045 0 309,187 551,525 
		
	
	
		(b) Expenditure on 'Agency Nurses' by Hull and East Riding Community Health NHS Trust—1997–98 to 2002–03 -- £
		
			 Trust name 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–0-1 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 East Yorkshire Community Healthcare NHS Trust 14971 132709 24356 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Hull and Holderness Community Health NHS Trust 0 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Total 14,971 132,709 24,356 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Hull and East Riding Community Health NHS Trust n/a n/a 21,487 163,007 281,161 923,245 
		
	
	Note:
	'Agency Nurses' = Non NHS nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff.
	Source:
	Annual financial returns of NHS trusts.

Accident and Emergency

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage change in accident and emergency attendees was between 2001–02 and 2002–03.

Rosie Winterton: The percentage change in the number of accident and emergency attendees between 2001–02 and 2002–03 was less than 0.01 per cent. Total attendances at accident and emergency departments in England in 2002–03 were 14,045,575. In 2001–02 the equivalent figure was 14,044,018.

Dentistry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what method he proposes using to enable NHS dentists to know for which patients they have responsibility for NHS dental treatment;
	(2)  when he proposes publishing the new base contract for NHS dentists with his proposed contract values.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 7 June 2004
	Drawing on the learning from personal dental services pilots and the field site programme being managed by the Modernisation Agency, to ensure a smooth transition to local commissioning, we will be working closely with the British Dental Association and the national health service to develop a simple and robust base contract that all primary care trusts (PCTs) and practices will be able to put in place from 2005. Details of the base contract are still under discussion.
	The Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 puts a new duty on all PCTs to provide or commission primary dental services "to the extent it considers necessary to meet all reasonable requirements" in its area. This is the same general duty as for other NHS services.
	Under transitional arrangements, the new base contract will be made available, but dentists and PCTs who wish to develop this further will be able to do so. The transitional arrangements will provide protection of dentists' gross earnings for three years to enable them to come off the treadmill of item of service, to see their patients at intervals appropriate to their oral health needs and to modernise and adjust their workload.
	The current statement of dental remuneration describes the care available on the NHS. We expect a similar range of care to be provided under the new system. As now, the care dentists offer must be necessary to secure oral health and dentists will be expected to provide all proper and necessary treatment which a dentist usually undertakes and which the patient is willing to undergo.

Dentistry

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for dentists to move onto the new NHS contract.

John Hutton: We are implementing the biggest reform of national health service dentistry since 1948 and we have been consulting widely with the profession and others to get the detail right. We have just completed a consultation on our "Framework Proposals for Primary Care Dental Services in England". We are currently considering all the responses to the consultation, including whether any revision to the original timetable of April 2005 is necessary.

Endometriosis

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much investment has been allocated to Reading Primary Care Trust for the care and management of endometriosis in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: Following the Department's 'Shifting the Balance of Power' initiative, funding is allocated to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. It is for PCTs, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.

Ethical Recruitment

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when the Medway Care Agency was included on the Government's approved list of recruitment agencies who have signed up to the code of practice on ethical recruitment;
	(2)  when the approved list regarding those agencies who had signed up to the Government's code of practice on ethical recruitment was made available to the South Essex Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust; and how they were made aware of its existence;
	(3)  whether Mr. Tawanda Machigura was recruited directly from Zimbabwe by the Medway Care Agency; between what dates he was on Medway Care Agency's lists; and what work he had undertaken prior to signing up with Medway Care Agency.

John Hutton: holding answer 27 May 2004
	The Medway Care Agency is not on the Government's approved list of agencies which adhere to the Code of Practice for International Recruitment. The Code was issued to all Trusts in October 2001. From inquiries made by the Department, it is understood that Mr. Tawanda Machigura was recruited by the Medway Care Agency in England, not from Zimbabwe. It is not known what work he had undertaken prior to signing up with the Medway Care Agency or between what dates he was on their lists.

Food Labelling

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will urge food manufacturers to label their foods more precisely in order to avoid serious allergic reactions with particular reference to anaphylactic shock.

Melanie Johnson: New European Union rules on ingredients listing for pre-packed foods have been agreed recently (Directive 2003/89/EC); they will require declaration of all ingredients on the label, with only a small number of exemptions allowed. No exemptions are allowed for 12 specified food allergens and their allergenic derivatives: these include those allergens most often associated with anaphylactic shock. This will help those with food allergies identify products they may need to avoid. The new rules will come into effect in November 2005. In the meantime, the Food Standards Agency has issued advice encouraging voluntary declaration of specified allergens.

Glue Sniffing

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the prevalence of glue sniffing among teenagers in (a) England and (b) each region in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Health Service (Stoke)

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on health in Stoke-on-Trent, North in each of the last seven years.

Stephen Ladyman: The information is not available in the format requested. Expenditure per weighted head of the population in the Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area, which includes the constituency of Stoke-on Trent North, has increased from £604.42 in 1997–98 to £910.52 in 2002–03, the latest year available. This does not represent the total expenditure per head, as an element of health expenditure cannot be identified by SHA area.

Health Service (Stoke)

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to NHS waiting list times in the last seven years for residents of Stoke-on-Trent, North.

Stephen Ladyman: The information is not available in the form requested. The tables show the number of patients waiting for in-patient treatment and outpatient appointments at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire National Health Service Trust (formerly North Staffordshire Hospital NHS Trust) in each year since 1997.
	
		
			   Months waiting to be seen 
			 As at March Total number of patients 0–2 3–5 6–8 9–11 12–14 15–17 
		
		
			 1997 6,988 3,697 1,858 958 382 93 0 
			 1998 9,877 4,984 2,333 1450 718 376 16 
			 1999 7,051 3,502 1,575 898 557 360 159 
			 2000 7,134 3,421 1,623 882 647 450 111 
			 2001 5,583 2,907 1,371 623 335 261 86 
			 2002 7,365 3,806 1,996 1,067 496 0 0 
			 2003 8,049 3,926 2,217 1,311 595 0 0 
			 2004 6,237 4,065 1,615 557 0 0 0 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health KH07.
	
		Out-patient waiting lists by provider for the trust serving Stoke-on Trent, North—General practitioner referral to consultant waiting list in weeks
		
			 As at March Not seen 13 to 25 Not seen 26 plus 
		
		
			 1997 2,586 1,380 
			 1998 3,369 2,845 
			 1999 4,129 3,910 
			 2000 4658 3537 
			 2001 4,134 2,861 
			 2002 3,197 0 
			 2003 1,724 0 
			 2004 540 0 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health QM08.

Health Service (Stoke)

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many senior citizens in Stoke-on-Trent, North have access to free eye tests.

Stephen Ladyman: Data for the number of sight tests by constituency or by the number of senior citizens are not collected centrally.
	The total population for those aged 60 and over in Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) is about 320,450. All people aged 60 and over are eligible for national health service sight tests.
	The total number of NHS sight tests paid for by Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA in the year 2002–03 for the 'aged 60 and over' category was 138,040.

Health Service (Stoke)

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on funding allocated through the LIFT programme to improve primary care in Stoke-on-Trent, North.

Stephen Ladyman: Funding for premises development, whether through local investment finance trusts (LIFT) or other means, is not allocated directly to projects by the Department. It is allocated to groups of primary care trusts (PCTs), which must decide what their priorities are and how they intend to spend their allocation.
	My hon. Friend's constituency is served by North Stoke PCT, which is one of four PCTs collaborating in the North Staffordshire LIFT project. North Stoke PCT will be able to provide new primary care centres in Bucknall, Cobridge and Packmoor. The North Staffordshire LIFT project has an estimated capital value of £20 million, of which some £5.8 million is accounted for by the North Stoke elements.
	In addition, the Department has made available capital funding to help kick start LIFT projects. The North Staffordshire LIFT project has been allocated £5.4 million to date. North Stoke PCT is using its share of these funds to purchase sites for the health centres at Bucknall, Cobridge and Packmoor. It has also used them to purchase temporary premises to serve the people of Packmoor until the permanent health centre there is operational. These temporary premises opened in April 2003 and have already significantly improved access to health services for local people.

Hospices (London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much financial assistance his Department has provided to hospices in the Greater London area in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Hearing Aid Technicians

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies there are for hearing aid technicians in the NHS in England; and how many there were in 2003–04, broken down by region.

John Hutton: Specific information is not collected on the number of vacancies for hearing aid technicians; they are included in the physiological measurement staff group. The table shows the number of vacancies lasting three months or more for physiological measurement staff by Government office region as at March 2003.
	
		Department of health vacancies survey, March 2003; qualified physiological measurement staff by Government office region; three month vacancy rates, numbers and staff in post -- Qualified physiological measurement
		
			   Three month vacancy rate percentage March 2003 Three month vacancy number Staff in post (whole-time equivalent) September 2002 Staff in post (headcount) 
		
		
			 — England 1 9 66 3,526 4,018 
			 A North East 1.6 3 218 236 
			 B North West 1 4 9 707 806 
			 D Yorkshire and the Humber 2.3 9 385 444 
			 E East Midlands 0.3 1 283 319 
			 F West Midlands 0.3 1 397 445 
			 G East Of England 2.2 5 257 289 
			 H London 4.7 21 481 548 
			 J South East 3.1 10 349 415 
			 K South West 1.3 6 449 516 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Three month vacancy information is as at 31 March 2003.
	2. Three month vacancies are vacancies which Trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole-time equivalents).
	3. Three month vacancy rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post.
	4. Three month vacancy rates are calculated using staff in post from the Vacancy Survey, March 2003.
	5. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.
	6. Staff in post data is from the Non-Medical Workforce Census, September 2002
	Sources:
	Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 2003.
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census, September 2002.

IT Systems

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the cost of implementing the National Programme for IT in strategic health authorities.

John Hutton: The contracts let by the national programme for information technology amount to a cost of £6.2 billion over 10 years. The £2.3 billion allocated in the 2002 spending review will implement core services across all trusts and general practitioner practices, including electronic booking, electronic transfer of prescriptions, a basic national health service care records service and the new national network.
	Strategic health authorities are the planning and performance monitoring bodies for the NHS and as such will not incur direct implementation costs for the key applications and systems that will be delivered in trusts and general practitioner practices. The local service providers are currently working with NHS trusts to develop local implementation plans. These will help to profile the NHS effort and resource, for example, training costs over the implementation period.

Lung Cancer Treatment

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what measures he is taking to increase the number of (a) oncologists, (b) respiratory consultants, (c) radiographers, (d) thoracic surgeons and (e) nurses specialising in lung cancer within the NHS;
	(2)  how many (a) oncologists, (b) respiratory consultants, (c) radiographers, (d) thoracic surgeons and (e) nurses in the NHS specialise in lung cancer.

John Hutton: holding answer 10 June 2004
	The Department does not collect numbers of oncologists, respiratory consultants, radiographers, thoracic surgeons or nurses in the national health service who specialise in lung cancer.
	We are implementing a range of measures to recruit more healthcare professionals into the NHS. These include improving pay and conditions, encouraging the NHS to become a better, more flexible and diverse employer, increasing training, investing in childcare and continuing professional development, attracting back returners and running national, international and local recruitment campaigns.
	The table shows the general increase in each specific staff group since September 1997. It is for trusts to determine staffing configurations for the treatment of lung cancer at a local level.
	
		
			Increase over the six year period 
			 Staff group September 1997 September 2003 Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Clinical oncology consultants 287 (9)358 71 25 
			 Respiratory medicine consultants 309 (9)570 261 84 
			 Radiographers (therapeutic and diagnostic) 11,771 13,344 1,573 13 
			 Cardiothoracic surgeons 156 (9)217 61 39 
			 Nurses 318,856 386,359 67,503 21 
		
	
	(9) December 2003 data.

Medical Errors (London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have died or been injured as a result of errors in medical treatment in NHS hospitals in the Greater London area in each of the last three years.

John Hutton: Information is not available in the format requested. Information is collected on the number of patients injured or fatally injured as a result of errors in medical treatment and where an initial inquiry has been made or a claim for negligence has been received, in national health service hospitals within the five London strategic health authorities (SHAs) and is shown in the tables.
	
		Patients injured as a result of errors in medical treatment, where a claim or inquiry was received for negligence, in NHS hospitals in the five London SHAs
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Numbers injured and a claim received 775 921 625 
			 Numbers injured and initial inquiry made but no claim received 48 99 241 
			 Total number of incidents queried and claims received 823 1,020 866 
		
	
	
		Number of patients fatally injured as a result of errors in medical treatment, where a claim or inquiry was received for negligence, in NHS hospitals in the five London SHAs
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Number fatally injured and a claim received 92 113 75 
			 Number fatally injured and initial inquiry made but no claim received 5 9 27 
			 Total number of incidents queried and claims received for fatalities 97 122 102

Mental Illness

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what audit he has made of the compliance of mental health services trusts with their obligations (a) to produce integrated care plans for service users with severe mental illness, (b) to ensure that service users have a written care plan and (c) to establish assertive outreach for those at risk of losing contact with services.

Rosie Winterton: The national service framework for mental health states that all service users on the care programme approach should have a copy of their written care plan.
	Data collected in 2002–03 to monitor this model of best practice indicated that 77 per cent. of patients on enhanced care programme approach had a copy of their written care plan—104,458 out of 135,699 nationally. Data for 2003–04 has not yet been fully validated.
	Mental health trusts are also assessed by the Healthcare Commission using a performance indicator on the implementation of comprehensive care programme approach systems and another one on the numbers of people on enhanced care programme approach with their own care plans.
	The Department monitors trusts' performance with establishing assertive outreach teams through local delivery plan returns which show 273 teams providing assertive outreach services to 12,469 people in the fourth quarter of 2003–04.

Microwaves

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated to ascertain whether there is leakage of (a) dioxins, (b) carcinogens and (c) xenoestrogens when microwaving food in plastic containers.

Melanie Johnson: The Government's research programme into the migration of substances from food contact materials and articles in the specific area of plastic containers used in microwave ovens has included work to establish methodologies for determining such migration; and to establish actual migration of some specific substances within the groups of substances in question.
	Details of this research has been placed in the Library. Further information is available on the Food Standards Agency website at www.foodstandards.gov.uk/safety/foodpackaging.

Mixed-Sex Wards (London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the hospitals in the Greater London area which use mixed-sex wards.

John Hutton: The information is not available in the format requested. The Department does not collect information on the number of either single sex or mixed sex wards in use in national health service hospitals.
	Guidance issued to NHS trusts on the achievement of the Department's single sex accommodation objectives made it clear that a variety of ward layouts and designs can be used to deliver separate sleeping accommodation, including the use of single sex wards, or combinations of single sex bays and individual rooms. Single sex bays, together with increasing numbers of single rooms, are common features of modern hospital design both here and abroad and can provide acceptable levels of privacy and dignity.

Multi-disciplinary Teams

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training is provided for NHS staff on how to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams.

John Hutton: holding answer 10 June 2004
	We are committed to working with partners in education, statutory and professional bodies to develop programmes of inter-professional and common learning through which different health and social care professionals can learn together and from each other. There are a number of current successful programmes in undergraduate and pre-registration education and for qualified staff, which are designed to help national health service staff work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams.

NHS Treatment Statistics

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many out-patients were treated in the NHS in England in each year from 1991 to 2003.

John Hutton: The following table shows the first, subsequent and total out-patient attendances in the national health service in England for the years 1991–92 to 2002–03.
	
		
			  First attendances Subsequent attendances Total attendances 
		
		
			 1991–92 8,941,526 27,952,184 36,893,710 
			 1992–93 9,342,280 28,184,758 37,527,038 
			 1993–94 9,680,593 28,519,690 38,200,283 
			 1994–95 10,362,877 28,942,923 39,305,800 
			 1995–96 10,989,334 29,128,357 40,117,691 
			 1996–97 11,294,069 29,578,700 40,872,769 
			 1997–98 11,529,432 30,105,837 41,635,269 
			 1998–99 11,777,780 30,376,617 42,154,397 
			 1999–2000 12,136,405 30,904,294 43,040,699 
			 2000–01 12,466,233 31,103,107 43,569,340 
			 2001–02 12,713,988 31,294,374 44,008,362 
			 2002–03 13,032,192 31,565,368 44,597,560 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH09.

Nurses' Pay (London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the average weekly earnings of a qualified nurse working in a hospital in the Greater London area.

John Hutton: The information necessary to make an estimate is not collected centrally.

Nursing Homes

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the decision by the Office of Fair Trading not to include the impact of local authorities' purchasing power on the financial viability of nursing homes in its investigation into nursing homes.

Stephen Ladyman: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) operates independently from Government under clear terms of reference and associated powers. It is for the OFT and its board to decide what it will and will not investigate.

Parliamentary Questions

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to question reference 176394 tabled by the hon. Member for Billericay.

John Hutton: I replied to the hon. Member today.

Primary Care Trust Funding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average sum allocated to primary care trusts in England (a) per unweighted head of population and (b) per weighted head of population was in (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05.

John Hutton: The average sum allocated to primary care trusts in England per head of population, weighted and unweighted, was 916 for 2003–04 and 1,003 for 2004–05.

Primary Care Trust Funding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the funding allocations (a) per unweighted head of population and (b) per weighted head of population for 2004–05 for each primary care trust in England.

John Hutton: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Radiographers

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) headcount and (b) whole-time equivalent (i) diagnostic and (ii) therapeutic radiographers have been employed by the NHS in each year since 1997, broken down by (A) region, (B) strategic health authority and (C) NHS trust.

John Hutton: The information requested has been placed in the Library. Between September 1997 and 2003, the number of radiographers employed in the national health service has increased by 1,573, or 13 per cent.
	
		NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified diagnostic radiographers in England by Government office region, Strategic health authority area and organisation as at 30 September each specified year -- Whole-time equivalent
		
			1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			  England total  8,626 8,860 9,009 9,169 9,264 9,489 9,642 
			   
			 A North East total  481 496 509 521 528 547 579 
			   
			 009 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear SHA total 268 281 291 291 289 302 327 
			  Cheviot and Wansbeck NHS Trust RLK 22 — — — — — — 
			  City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Trust RLN 50 55 51 56 53 51 55 
			  Freeman Group of Hospitals NHS Trust RAB 32 — — — — — — 
			  Gateshead Health NHS Trust RR7 — 41 43 44 40 43 57 
			  Gateshead Hospitals NHS Trust RE2 39 — — — — — — 
			  Newcastle City Health NHS Trust RNM 9 10 — — — — — 
			  Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust RTD — 96 123 119 121 125 136 
			  North Tyneside Health Care NHS Trust RLC 23 — — — — — — 
			  Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust RTF — 58 51 48 50 56 52 
			  Royal Victoria Infirmary NHS Trust RCK 72 — — — — — — 
			  South Tyneside Healthcare NHS Trust RE9 22 22 23 24 26 28 27 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA total 213 215 218 230 239 246 252 
			  Bishop Auckland Hospitals NHS Trust RLA 22 — — — — — — 
			  County Durham And Darlington Acute  Hospitals NHS Trust RXP — — — — — — 80 
			  Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust RLB 22 — — — — — — 
			  Hartlepool and East Durham NHS Trust RRY 25 26 — — — — — 
			  North Durham Acute Hospitals NHS Trust RLE 29 — — — — — — 
			  North Durham Healthcare NHS Trust RR9 — 27 29 33 33 31 — 
			  North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust RVW — — 58 60 63 62 67 
			  North Tees Health NHS Trust RCH 32 33 — — — — — 
			  Northallerton Health Services NHS Trust RCA 14 14 15 16 18 — — 
			  South Durham Healthcare NHS Trust RTA — 43 45 47 48 50 — 
			  South Tees Acute Hospitals NHS Trust RCJ 69 73 71 75 77 — — 
			  South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust RTR — — — — — 102 105

Radiographers

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) headcount and (b) whole-time equivalent NHS vacancies there were for (i) diagnostic and (ii) therapeutic radiographers in each year since 1997 (A) in total and (B) broken down by positions vacant for (1) 0–3 months, (2) 3–6 months, (3) 6–9 months, (4) 9–12 months, (5) 12–15 months, (6) 15–18 months and (7) over 18 months.

John Hutton: The only information held centrally on vacancies is numbers of whole-time equivalent vacancies lasting three months or more. Information on the number of whole-time equivalent radiographer vacancies lasting three months or more since 1999, the first year vacancy information was collected centrally, are shown in the table.
	
		Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March each specified year—vacancies in England for qualified radiography staff— 
		
			  Three month vacancy rates, numbers and staff-in-post 
		
		
			 1999 1  
			 Radiographers  
			 March 1999  
			 Three month vacancy rate (%) 1.3 
			 Three month vacancy (number) 131 
			 September 1998 
			 Staff-in-post (whole-time equivalent) 10,189 
			 Staff-in-post (headcount) 12,114 
			  
			 2000  
			 Radiographers  
			 March 2000  
			 Three month vacancy rate (%) 3.6 
			 Three month vacancy (number) 332 
			 September 1999 
			 Staff-in-post (whole-time equivalent) 9,005 
			 Staff-in-post (headcount) 10,835 
			   
			 Therapeutic radiographers 
			 March 2000 
			 Three month vacancy rate (%) 7.1 
			 Three month vacancy (number) 103 
			 September 1999 
			 Staff-in-post (whole-time equivalent) 1,358 
			 Staff-in-post (headcount) 1,491 
			  
			 2001  
			 Diagnostic radiographers  
			 March 2001  
			 Three month vacancy rate (%) 4.4 
			 Three month vacancy (number) 420 
			 September 2000 
			 Staff-in-post (whole-time equivalent) 9,165 
			 Staff-in-post (headcount) 11,032 
			   
			 Therapeutic radiographers 
			 March 2001 
			 Three month vacancy rate (%) 8.0 
			 Three month vacancy (number) 114 
			 September 2000 
			 Staff-in-post (whole-time equivalent) 1,309 
			 Staff-in-post (headcount) 1,453 
			   
			 2002  
			 Diagnostic radiographers  
			 March 2002  
			 Three month vacancy rate (%) 5.5 
			 Three month vacancy (number) 531 
			 September 2001 
			 Staff-in-post (whole-time equivalent) 9,260 
			 Staff-in-post (headcount) 11,158 
			   
			 Therapeutic radiographers 
			 March 2002 
			 Three month vacancy rate (%) 8.8 
			 Three month vacancy (number) 134 
			 September 2001 
			 Staff-in-post (whole-time equivalent) 1,391 
			 Staff-in-post (headcount) 1,543 
			   
			 2003  
			 Diagnostic radiographers  
			 March 2003  
			 Three month vacancy rate (%) 6.1 
			 Three month vacancy (number) 599 
			 September 2002 
			 Staff-in-post (whole-time equivalent) 9,489 
			 Staff-in-post (headcount) 11,489 
			   
			 Therapeutic radiographers 
			 March 2003 
			 Three month vacancy rate (%) 10.7 
			 Three month vacancy (number) 169 
			 September 2002 
			 Staff-in-post (whole-time equivalent) 1,374 
			 Staff-in-post (headcount) 1,542 
		
	
	(10) 1999 vacancy survey is unable to split between diagnostic and therapeutic radiography staff.
	Three month vacancy notes:
	1. Three month vacancy information is as at 31 March each specified year.
	2. Three month vacancies are vacancies which Trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole-time equivalents).
	3. Three month Vacancy Rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff-in-post.
	4. For 2002 and 2003 three month Vacancy Rates are calculated using staff-in-post from the Vacancy Survey.
	5. For earlier years three month vacancy rates are calculated using staff-in-post from the non-medical workforce census the previous September.
	6. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.
	7. Figures for 1999–2002 exclude health authority staff.
	Staff-in-post notes:
	1. Staff-in-post data is from the Non-Medical Workforce Census, September each specified year.
	General notes:
	1. Vacancy and staff-in-post numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number.
	2. Calculating the vacancy rates using the above data may not equal the actual vacancy rates.
	3. Due to rounding, totals may not equal the sum of component parts.
	Sources:
	Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March each specified year.
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census, September each specified year.

Radiographers

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 19 April 2004, Official Report, column 221W, on radiographers, what action his Department is taking towards developing an attractive career path for radiography staff.

John Hutton: The national radiography recruitment and retention strategy will encourage the national roll-out of a new career escalator model for radiographers, building on the knowledge and skills framework of 'Agenda for Change'. This will enable individuals to step on or step off the escalator during their careers, until they reach a level which is appropriate for them and their service. There will be opportunities to practice from assistant right through to consultant practitioner level. With the implementation of the 'Improving Working Lives' standard, there is greater opportunity for radiographers to work flexibly, access childcare and still extend and progress their roles.

Waiting Lists/Times

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to (a) strategic health authorities and (b) acute trusts in respect of waiting times for (i) MRI scans and (ii) nerve conduction tests.

John Hutton: Data on waiting times for diagnostic tests, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and nerve conduction studies are not collected centrally.
	However, the Government are committed to improving access to diagnostic services and the Department is working in partnership with strategic health authorities (SHA) and other stakeholders to secure a more responsive service. Each SHA is responsible for developing and implementing local improvement programmes for diagnostic services and to monitor progress against any locally agreed objectives.

TRANSPORT

"Salvage and Intervention"

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government have taken to implement Recommendation 7 in the report of Lord Donaldson's review, Salvage and Intervention and their Command and Control, published in 1999.

David Jamieson: This recommendation concerns amending the Water Resources Act 1991, responsibility of which is a matter for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. However I have agreed with the Minister for the Environment (Mr. Morley) that my Department will take this recommendation forward and my officials are currently investigating using a Regulatory Reform Order to do this.

Air Passengers' Health

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to implement the recommendations of the European Civil Aviation Conference Working Group on Air Passenger Health Issues; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The European Civil Aviation Conference Working Group on Air Passenger Health Issues has prepared a manual on health issues, the first draft of which Directors General approved at their meeting on 17 March 2004. A number of the issues raised will need to be addressed at a European level. The UK inter-departmental Aviation Health Working Group will discuss the remaining issues at its meeting on 10 June in order to determine how to take forward the recommendations.

Aircraft Medical Emergency Kits

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has given to UK airlines on carrying a full medical emergency kit on all flights.

Tony McNulty: UK airlines are required to meet the Joint Aviation Requirements—Operations (JAR-OPS) 1.755 on emergency medical kits. An operator must ensure that an aeroplane with more than 30 seats and where the planned route is more than 60 minutes flying time from an aerodrome at which qualified medical assistance could be expected to be available, is equipped with an emergency medical kit. The items that should be included in the emergency medical kit are also specified.

Bus Services (Rochdale)

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rural bus services in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale are supported by rural bus grants.

Tony McNulty: Rural Bus Subsidy Grant (RBSG) is paid to local transport authorities, in the case of Rochdale this is the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (PTE). It is for the authority, to decide which services should be supported with the grant. We understand from the PTE that one bus service in Rochdale is provided by RBSG.

Crime (Public Transport)

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatalities have resulted from crimes on (a) railways and (b) buses in each year since 1997, broken down by type of crime.

Tony McNulty: The British Transport Police (BTP) have provided the following information on fatalities which have resulted from crimes recorded on the railways since 1999; information is not readily available for earlier than 1999.
	
		
			 Offence Fatalities 
		
		
			 1999  
			 Murder 3 
			 Manslaughter 3 
			   
			 2000  
			 Murder 3 
			 Manslaughter 2 
			 Death by dangerous driving 1 
			   
			 2001  
			 Murder 2 
			 Manslaughter 2 
			   
			 2002  
			 Murder 4 
			 Manslaughter 3 
			   
			 2003  
			 Murder 0 
			 Manslaughter (11)3 
			   
			 2004(12)  
			 Murder 2 
			 Manslaughter 5 
		
	
	(11) In addition the 43 fatalities from Potters Bar, Ladbroke Grove and Hatfield were recorded in this year.
	(12) January to March.
	No data are held centrally on the number of fatalities resulting from crimes on buses broken down by type of crime.

Cycling

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice is given by his Department to local authorities about the advisability of cycling on footpaths.

David Jamieson: Cyclists have no right to cycle on footpaths and it is illegal to cycle on the footway (the pavement adjacent to the carriageway).
	Procedures do however exist in the Highways Act 1980 to convert footways to cycle tracks and in the Cycle Tracks Act 1984 to convert footpaths to cycle tracks.
	The decision to convert a footpath or footway to a cycle track is for individual local highway authorities to determine after careful consideration of all the issues. The Department has issued advice on the design and criteria for shared use facilities in Local Transport Note 2/86 "Shared Use by Cyclists and Pedestrians" and, with our partners, in "Cycle-friendly infrastructure" available from the Institution of Highways and Transportation. We are also currently consulting on updated advice in a draft Local Transport Note on "Adjacent and Shared Use Facilities for Cyclists and Pedestrians".
	Shared use facilities can have a role to play in providing improved facilities for cyclists but in the main they are best suited to lightly trafficked pedestrian areas, to links in cycle routes or where facilities for cyclists cannot be provided on the road. The conversion of footways and footpaths should not be introduced at the expense of pedestrians and should not be seen as area wide solution to providing improved facilities for cyclists. Local highway authorities should always consult widely on any such proposals at an early stage.

Electric Cars

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many recharging points for electric cars there are in (a) car parks and (b) on the street in (i) the UK, (ii) Kirklees, (iii) west Yorkshire and (iv) London.

David Jamieson: According to information from the Energy Saving Trust, there are 16 car park recharging points in London but at present no on street charging points. Across the rest of the UK, there are no public recharging facilities although there are a number of private charge points for commercial and city council fleet vehicles.

Flight Time Limitations

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what his policy is regarding the proposed subparts of JAR-OPS parts 1 & 3 on Flight and Duty Time Limitations and Rest Requirements (Subpart Q) contained within the proposals now being considered by the European Council of Ministers on flight time limitations in Europe;
	(2)  what representations he has made to the European Council of Ministers regarding the proposals for flight time limitations in Europe;
	(3)  what representations he has received from the Civil Aviation Authority regarding the proposed flight time limitations; and what assessment he has made of the proposals before the European Council of Ministers.

Tony McNulty: JAR-OPS 1 and 3 do not contain any requirements on flight and duty time limits as the Joint Aviation Authorities were unable to agree requirements when they were adopted in 1996. The draft Regulation currently under consideration transposes JAR-OPS 1 into Community law, together with flight and duty time requirements proposed by the European Parliament in September 2002.
	We recognise the need for harmonised flight and duty limits to ensure a high level of safety and a level playing field in the single aviation market. We can therefore support the proposal provided that it achieves an acceptable level of safety. The Civil Aviation Authority has reviewed the proposal and advises that while the proposal in its original form was unacceptable, with a number of relatively small amendments it could form an acceptable baseline European flight time limitation requirement, supported by additional requirements in each member state. We have subsequently worked with our European colleagues to agree suitable amendments to the proposal. The CAA is satisfied that, the current text of the proposal taken as a whole will allow it to ensure an acceptable level of safety for UK airlines.

Greenaway Review

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to respond to the Greenaway review into the motor insurance industry.

David Jamieson: We are currently studying Professor Greenaway's report on uninsured driving and his recommendations. We will be publishing the report together with the Government response as soon as possible.

Heavy Goods Vehicles

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the implementation of UN/ECE 48 and UN/ECE 104 with regard to conspicuity marking on heavy goods vehicles;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the heavy goods vehicle industry on the introduction of conspicuity marking.

David Jamieson: Conspicuity markings conforming to UNECE Regulation 104 are now an optional requirement for vehicles approved to UNECE Regulation 48. Fitment is already permitted in the UK provided they comply with the colour requirements but, as they are optional in UNECE 48, the Government could not unilaterally mandate them.
	A German proposal has been made to the UNECE working party on Lighting and Signalling to mandate UNECE 104 tape in UNECE 48 for all new vehicles over 12 tonnes. The Department of Transport will need to weigh up the road safety benefits and the costs before reaching a view on the proposal.
	A current European Commission study is investigating the costs and benefits of fitting the tape to new and existing heavy vehicles. The Department will also be commissioning research to provide an updated cost-benefit analysis for the UK.
	Representations have been received from both the Freight Transport Association and the Road Haulage Association.

Local Transport Plan

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much public funding has been spent in Crosby from the Local Transport Plan.

Tony McNulty: The borough of Sefton forms part of the Merseyside joint Local Transport Plan (LTP) area. £28 million of the total Merseyside LTP funding allocated since 2000 went directly to Sefton MBC. An unspecified proportion of the £82 million allocated to Merseytravel over the same period has been or will be spent on transport improvements in Sefton.
	Decisions on how much of this funding is spent in Crosby are a matter for the authorities concerned.

North London Line

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a copy of the joint Strategic Rail Authority/Transport for London/Docklands Light Railway study assessing options for future use of the North London Line between Canning Town and Stratford.

Tony McNulty: This report was commissioned by the Strategic Rail Authority and Transport for London and remains incomplete. Some further work is being done and the joint sponsors will consider publication when this is complete.

Rail Services (Rochdale)

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the effect of investment in railway improvements over the next 10 years upon residents of the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale.

Tony McNulty: Residents of Rochdale will benefit from the new TransPennine Express franchise, which commenced in February. The franchise secures investment of around £260 million, which will include the introduction of a new fleet of 100 mph diesel trains leading to increased capacity, improved service quality and performance across the region. A new Northern franchise, which will include local and regional services through Rochdale, has been tendered competitively. Work continues on the West Coast Main Line upgrade, which will see a reduction in journey times on services to/from the North West and an increase in service frequency.

Railways (Investment)

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total private sector investment in the rail industry that has been indirectly funded by the public sector through franchise payments and access charges has been in each financial year since 1996–97.

Tony McNulty: Details of annual levels of rail investment and subsidy are set out in Tables 5.1 and 5.2 of the September 2003 edition of the Strategic Rail Authority's quarterly statistics bulletin "National Rail Trends", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
	All investment recorded in Table 5.2, for each year since 1996–97, is private sector investment, but the investment funded by direct grants to Railtrack, Network Rail and London and Continental Railways in 2001–02 and 2002–03 was directly funded by the public sector. The amount of investment funded indirectly by the public sector cannot be accurately assessed because, for example, some access charges are paid by unsubsidised train operators.

Rolling Stock

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new rail rolling stock vehicles have been ordered since 1997; and of these, how many have been (a) wholly manufactured in the UK and (b) wholly manufactured abroad.

Tony McNulty: It is rare for railway rolling stock to be built wholly in a single country using only components also manufactured wholly within that country. However, of the 4,433 passenger-carrying railway vehicles ordered since 1997, 3,332 (75 per cent.) have been or are being built by UK-based manufacturers. All the remaining 1,101 vehicles are likely to incorporate at least some UK-manufactured components.

Tractor Drivers

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what class of driving licence is required by tractor drivers who are (a) contractors or their employees and (b) farm workers.

David Jamieson: The category of entitlement required of tractor drivers is determined by the nature of the work for which the vehicle is being used.
	Category F entitlement covers farm workers driving tractors mainly off road and in connection with agricultural or forestry work. If tractors are driven solely off road on private farmland no driving licence is required.
	If a tractor is used for any other purpose and is driven primarily on the road, depending on its weight, category B (car), category C1 (medium goods vehicle) or category C (large goods vehicle) entitlement is required. More detailed information is provided in leaflet D100, available from post offices and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) local offices.

Transport (South-east Hampshire)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies are under way to identify transport problems and solutions in south east Hampshire; and what their completion dates are.

Tony McNulty: Consultants have recently completed a scoping study to consider the strategic role of the A34 transport corridor from south Hampshire to the Midlands. The final report was published on 14 April and copies are available on the Government Office for the South East website www.go-se.gov.uk.
	As part of the work associated with the development of the South East Plan local authorities have completed an initial piece of work aimed at identifying issues, including transport, that may need to be addressed on a sub-regional basis within south east Hampshire. This work was commissioned by the South East England Regional Assembly.
	Hampshire county council, as the local highway authority, will be responsible for other more local transport studies.

West Coast Mainline

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a commitment that full local services, of at least the same frequency as existed in the winter 2003–04 timetable, will be reinstated upon the West Coast mainline by May 2005.

Tony McNulty: The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) intends that the timetables for local services on the West Coast Main Line will be restored when the West Coast Route Modernisation works are completed and when driver training and rolling stock enhancements for Central Trains services are completed. This is currently estimated to be in May 2005. The level of service will be substantially that in the winter 2003–04 timetable but the SRA will be discussing with stakeholders changes to these timetables to reflect developments in travel patterns.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Cattle Diseases

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cattle tested positive for (a) brucellosis and (b) tuberculosis in Northern Ireland in 2003.

Ian Pearson: The information is as follows.
	(a) In 2003, a total of 743 cattle tested positive for brucellosis in Northern Ireland.
	(b) In 2003, a total of 16,066 cattle tested positive for tuberculosis in Northern Ireland.

Cattle Diseases

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much compensation was paid to farmers for cattle removed from farms in Northern Ireland due to (a) brucellosis control and (b) tuberculosis control in 2003.

Ian Pearson: The information is as follows.
	(a) In 2003, compensation payments issued to farmers for cattle removed from farms in Northern Ireland due to brucellosis totalled £9.2 million.
	(b) In 2003, compensation payments issued to farmers for cattle removed from farms in Northern Ireland due to tuberculosis totalled £16.7 million.

Flags

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what flags his Department has directed should be flown from police stations in Northern Ireland; and on what designated days.

Ian Pearson: The Police Emblems and Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 set out what flags may be flown from police stations. A copy of the Regulations is available in the Library of the House.
	It is for the Chief Constable to decide when the service flag may be flown. I am given to understand that the flag is flown daily only at PSNI Headquarters Brooklyn and PSNI Training Centre Garnerville. Requests for the use of the service flag for any other reason or purpose including use at or on any other part of the PSNI estate is decided on an individual basis by the Chief Constable's Office.

Long Service Medals

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) venue, (b) seniority of presenting officers and (c) arrangements for accompanying families are for (i) regular officers and (ii) full-time reserve officers receiving Police Service of Northern Ireland long service medals.

Ian Pearson: All presentation ceremonies for the Long Service and Good Conduct medal take place at the PSNI Training College at Garnerville.
	In respect of regular officers, the Long Service and Good Conduct medals are presented by the Chief Constable or, in his absence, the Deputy Chief Constable. Families are invited at the choice of the recipient.
	No medals have been presented to full-time reserve officers since the service name changed in November 2001. The Royal Warrant is currently being revised to allow for the issue of the 'Police Reserve Long Service Medal'. The format of the presentation ceremonies is currently being considered.

Marches/Parades

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what mechanisms are in place to implement security assessments relating to marches and parades and their public order implications; and what advice he has received on this matter.

Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is kept informed of the current situation with regard to the forthcoming marching season. There is no information which would suggest this marching season will be significantly different from 2003. The policing of parades is an operational issue which is entirely a matter for the Chief Constable.

Police Service

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many serving Police Service of Northern Ireland officers have relatives with criminal convictions; and for what offence in each case.

Ian Pearson: This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Police Widows

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been made available from the Police Fund to police widows whose husbands were killed on duty prior to 1981 in non-terrorist incidents; and how many individuals this involved.

Ian Pearson: In accordance with the scope and recommendations contained in the Steele Report, the Northern Ireland Police Fund does not ordinarily make any direct grant assistance to police widows whose husbands were killed on duty prior to 1981 in non-terrorist incidents.
	However, the Steele Report also recommended that the Police Fund should assume the responsibility for the £1,000 that the RUC Benevolent Funds pays annually to each widow who was bereaved prior to 25 November 1982. It has transpired that the list, administered by the RUC Benevolent Fund, includes 11 widows whose husbands were killed on duty in non-terrorist incidents. Thus the Police Fund has indirectly provided funding to these widows totalling £33,000.
	While these widows will continue to be eligible to receive their annual award from the RUC Benevolent Fund, I have been advised that the Police Fund are taking steps to recoup this over-payment from the RUC Benevolent Fund.

Real IRA

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he plans to amend Schedule 2 to the Terrorism Act 2000 in the light of the ruling on 26 May by Mr. Justice Girvan in the case of Mullan and others.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Down (Lady Hermon) on 8 June 2004, Official Report, column 343W.

CABINET OFFICE

Better Regulation Taskforce

Andrew George: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment his Department's Better Regulation Taskforce has made of the cost to (a) each of the local authorities in Cornwall and (b) the Council of the Isles of Scilly of meeting its obligation of monitoring, inspection, reviews and assessment by, for (i) the Audit Plan, (ii) the Audit Commission, (iii) the Social Services Inspectorate, (iv) Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Schools, (v) Ofsted, (vi) the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate, (vii) Best Value, (viii) comprehensive programme assessments, (ix) the preparation of statutory plans/strategies and (x) other inspections and reviews.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 7 June 2004
	The Better Regulation Taskforce does not make an assessment of costs to any individual local authority. Its terms of reference are to advise the Government on action to ensure that regulation and its enforcement meet the principles of good regulation. The taskforce's principles—which the Government fully supports—are proportionality, accountability, consistency, transparency and targeting. More information on these principles and on the work of the taskforce can be found on the Task Force's website at www.brtf.gov.uk

Better Regulation Taskforce

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate the Better Regulation Taskforce has made of the costs to (a) Waverley borough council and (b) Surrey county council of their obligations to monitoring, inspection, reviews and assessment required by central Government, their agencies and commissions.

Douglas Alexander: The Better Regulation Taskforce does not make assessments of costs on any individual local authority. Its terms of reference are to advise the Government on action to ensure that regulation and its enforcement meet the principles of good regulation. The taskforce's principles—which the Government fully support—are proportionality, accountability, consistency, transparency and targeting. More information on these principles and on the work of the taskforce can be found on the task force's website at www.brtf.gov.uk.

Civil Servants

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants were recruited in each of the last six months.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 7 June 2004
	Information on numbers of civil servants recruited in each of the last six months is not held centrally but only by individual Departments and their agencies. This information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	A breakdown of numbers of civil servants recruited is published annually in Civil Service Statistics. Civil Service Statistics are available in the Library and at www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics.

Computer File Formats

Richard Allan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his Department's policy is in respect of the computer file formats used for the (a) distribution and (b) archiving of publicly available documents.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office's policy is to meet the Government Web Guidelines. This states that documents be made available on the Internet wherever possible in the following formats:
	Hypertext Markup Language
	Portable Document Format
	Microsoft Word format
	Rich Text Format
	Plain Text Format
	Comma Separated Variable format (for spreadsheets)
	Microsoft Excel format (for spreadsheets)
	The archiving of Cabinet Office web information has been addressed by the creation of an "archive section". This is now publicly available at http://archive. cabinetoffice.gov.uk and has been created in compliance with the latest version of the Office of the e-Envoy Guidelines. Again, wherever possible, documents are available in the formats listed above.
	This archive is an extension of the National Archive's UK Central Government Web Archive initiative which deals with cross-Government "web harvesting". Further details on this can be found at http://www. pro.gov.uk/webarchive/default.htm

Departmental Responsibilities

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what mechanisms exist to distinguish between those matters which are his Department's responsibilities and those which are directly those of the Prime Minister.

Douglas Alexander: The allocation of ministerial portfolios is a matter for the Prime Minister. Details are set out in the "List of Ministerial Responsibilities", copies of which are available in the Library.

EU Legislation

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the occasions when representations have been made to his Department highlighting possible over-implementation of EU legislation, stating in each instance (a) the EU directive, (b) the individual or organisation making the representation and (c) the aspect of over-implementation; and if he will make a statement on the Government's response.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 10 June 2004
	The Cabinet Office maintains a close dialogue with a wide range of stakeholders on the handling of European legislation. The Cabinet Office does not hold records of all the discussions that have taken place, which might have included representations on over-implementation.
	Representations on the possible over-implementation of individual EU directives would usually have been made to the Department responsible for consulting on and introducing the implementing legislation.

Ministerial Visits

David Davis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  if he will list the travel costs incurred by (a) his Department and (b) each Minister within his Department for each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many journeys were made by helicopter by each Minister in his Department and its predecessors in each of the last 10 years; and what the journey length was in each case.

Douglas Alexander: In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These reports contain information reaching back to 1995–96. Information for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and in some cases will no longer be held. Information for 2003–04 will be published in due course
	In respect of domestic travel, owing to changes in the accounting system within the Cabinet Office, the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library.

Older People

Steve Webb: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office for what (a) initiatives, (b) campaigns and (c) advisory bodies relating to older people his Department (i) is responsible and (ii) has provided funding since 2001; and what the cost in each year was for each one.

Douglas Alexander: As part of its commitment to provide internet access to all the Office of the e-Envoy (OeE) ran a national 'Get Started' campaign in June 2003, to promote internet access among primarily disadvantaged groups including older people. Nearly 37,000 people took advantage of a free internet starter session and the OeE's partnership with Age Concern was particularly effective introducing over 11,000 older people to the internet. £1 million was spent on the Get Started Campaign.
	The Directgov site (www.direct.gov.uk), managed by the OeE, brings together information about government services into one place. There is a section with information especially targeted at the over 50s. These include information on health and well-being, employment, pensions and education.

Opinion Research

Norman Lamb: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will place in the Library Government guidelines on the publication and use of opinion research by Government Departments.

Douglas Alexander: Opinion research is used by Government Departments to assess public response to the policies or services for which the Department is responsible, to develop policy and track delivery. Publication is a matter for individual Departments.
	The propriety of this work is covered by the Civil Service Code, and if appropriate, the Guidance on the Work of the Government Information Service which is available in the Library.
	Good practice guidance on the technical aspects of social research and evaluation in policy making is currently being prepared and will be published on The Policy Hub (www.policyhub.gov.uk). Some chapters are available already. A full copy of the guidance will be placed in the Library once it is completed. Advice is also available from professional social researchers working in most Departments and where necessary they can consult the Government's Chief Social Researcher.

Parliamentary Questions

John Thurso: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many (a) ordinary written and (b) named day questions his Department received in (i) 2002–03 and (ii) this parliamentary session, broken down by month;
	(2)  what proportion of (a) ordinary written questions to his Department were answered within five sitting days of tabling, and (b) questions for written answer on a named day received a substantive answer on that day in (a) the 2002–03 parliamentary session and (b) this parliamentary session, broken down by month.

Douglas Alexander: The information requested is shown in the table.
	We endeavour to answer all parliamentary questions within the parliamentary deadlines whenever possible. In addition I refer the hon. Gentleman to a reply given by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House on 3 March 2004, Official Report, column 907W.
	
		
			 Month Number due for answer Number answered on day named Percentage answered on day named 
		
		
			 Named day parliamentary questions 
			 Session 2002–03
			 November 2002 11 11 100 
			 December 2002 7 7 100 
			 January 2003 21 14 67 
			 February 2003 5 4 80 
			 March 2003 9 7 78 
			 April 2003 1 1 100 
			 May 2003 2 1 50 
			 June 2003 7 7 100 
			 July 2003 5 5 100 
			 September 2003 — — — 
			 October 2003 4 4 100 
			 November 2003 2 1 50 
			 Total 74 62 84 
			 
			 Session 2003–04
			 December 2003 3 1 33 
			 January 2004 9 3 33 
			 February 2004 6 6 100 
			 March 2004 12 11 92 
			 April 2004 4 4 100 
			 Total 34 25 74 
		
	
	
		
			 Month Number due for answer Number answered within five working days Percentage answered within five working days 
		
		
			 Ordinary written parliamentary questions 
			 Session 2002–03
			 November 2002 6 6 100 
			 December 2002 30 24 80 
			 January 2003 54 29 54 
			 February 2003 26 14 54 
			 March 2003 50 31 62 
			 April 2003 41 18 44 
			 May 2003 37 9 24 
			 June 2003 31 17 55 
			 July 2003 25 9 36 
			 September 2003 19 13 68 
			 October 2003 19 12 63 
			 November 2003 17 13 76 
			 Total 355 195 55 
			 
			 Session 2003–04
			 December 2003 15 11 73 
			 January 2004 43 23 53 
			 February 2004 25 21 84 
			 March 2004 117 90 77 
			 April 2004 31 9 29 
			 Total 231 154 67

Public Service Reform

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff have been seconded by Deloitte to advise the Government on public service reform; and on how many contracts arising from that work Deloitte have been designated as a preferred bidder.

Douglas Alexander: Three staff were seconded from Deloitte to work in public service reform units. Two of these staff were seconded to the Department while working for Arthur Andersen, but subsequently became Deloitte employees, following a corporate take-over in August 2002. No contracts have been awarded to Deloitte as a result of those secondments.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what guidelines his Department has issued in relation to Ministers signing off regulatory impact assessments in which the estimated benefits do not outweigh the estimated costs.

Douglas Alexander: The guidelines on ministerial sign-off of regulatory impact assessments are set out in the Cabinet Office guidance, 'Better Policy Making: A Guide to Regulatory Impact Assessment'. This is available in the Library or on the Cabinet Office's website at www.cabinet-Office.gov.uk/regulation/ria-guidance/

Web Accessibility

Roger Berry: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment has been made of the percentage of disabled people who will be able to access all Government services electronically by 2005.

Douglas Alexander: There are currently no figures on the number of disabled people using online services. The Government recognise that basic access to technology is a problem for many disabled people and the importance of not excluding any citizens who wish to use our online services.
	A number of initiatives have been established like the 6,000 UK Online centres, with 25 per cent., of these having practical equipment to assist the disabled in getting online.
	By implementing the World Wide Web Consortiums (W3C), Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and standard usability practices, we are endeavouring to make our online services as accessible and usable as currently practical. A copy of the "Web Accessibility Guidelines" has been placed in the Library.

Web Accessibility

Roger Berry: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what Government guidelines cover the provision of information in (a) British Sign Language and (b) Easy Read for people with learning disabilities on Government Departments' and agencies' websites.

Douglas Alexander: The Government published "Let's make it accessible: Improving Government information for disabled people" in 2001 to help Government Departments and agencies to develop strategies to meet the information needs of their disabled customers. It recommends that Departments and agencies should adopt a good practice approach and that information should be user-friendly and accessible to disabled people. The guidance covers the potential needs of people with a range of impairments, including people who are learning disabled or who are profoundly deaf and use British Sign Language as their first language. It also suggests a range of methods for making information accessible to disabled people.
	The Guidelines for UK Government websites (published 2002) and the Quality Framework for UK Government Website Design (published 2003) require government websites to implement the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative. We are not aware of a standard meaning for the term Easy Read and no recognised guidance on how to implement it on websites. We are currently reviewing a number of commercial applications that may improve website access to users with learning difficulties.

Web Accessibility

Roger Berry: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans his Department has to raise awareness in the public and private sectors and in the relevant professional groups of (a) the web accessibility needs of disabled people and (b) the cost of meeting those needs.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office has published the 'Guidelines for UK Government Websites', which provides extensive guidance to government web managers and their contractors on making websites accessible to people with disabilities. Copies are available in the Library. We work closely with external organisations such as the RNIB and RNID.
	Following the publication of the Disability Rights Commission report on web accessibility in April 2004 officials have been in discussion with the Commission on the issues of raising awareness and associated costs.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Butler Inquiry

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 May 2004, Official Report, columns 748–49W, on Iraq, how many infringements of section 30, points 2 and 13, of Coalition Provisional Authority memorandum No. 2 (CPA/ORD/30 May 2003/09) have been reported to the CPA; and what action has been taken.

Bill Rammell: The Iraqi Correction Service (ICS) has had difficulties in the past with informing family members of the location of criminal detainees. The CPA Senior Advisor for Prisons has facilitated the provision of information to detainees' families. The ICS now requires that prisoners are only accepted with judicial orders that make the prisoner's status clear and then action is taken in accordance with Point 13.

Advisers/Consultants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on external consultants and advisers in each of the last three years.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) expenditure on consultants is published annually in our departmental report. The latest available figures are as follows:
	
		£000
		
			  FCO British Council Wilton Park Executive Agency 
		
		
			 2000–01 17,900 2,397 4 
			 2001–02 20,100 2,280 4 
			 2002–03 23,700 1,959 12 
		
	
	These figures cover consulting roles e.g. advice on major estate and ICT projects and management consultancy. The increase in 2002–03 over the previous year is accounted for by expenditure on improving the efficiency of our internal service providers.
	Our target for these efficiency savings is to reduce direct costs by £7 million over the next two years, and to enable an extra £8 million to £10 million worth of benefits for the FCO more widely from improved procurement from the year 2005–06 onwards.

Colombia

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received about the role of the Colombian armed forces in the killing of civilians in the communities of Flor Amarillo and Cravo Charo in the Colombian department of Araunca on 21 May 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We are aware of the allegations of involvement by the Colombian armed forces in these incidents. Our embassy in Bogota has raised our concerns with the Colombian authorities and is pressing them to provide further details. We consistently urge the Colombian authorities to crack down on any reported cases of human rights abuses by the security forces or of collusion with the illegal armed groups.

Colombia

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on human rights abuses in Colombia, with particular reference to the treatment of trade unionists.

Bill Rammell: Human rights abuses in Colombia remain unacceptably high, although we have seen a decline in recent years in the numbers of cases. We are very concerned about abuses against all vulnerable groups, including trades unionists. We are engaged in an on-going dialogue with the Government of Colombia, the UN, EU and other international partners and civil society groups on how to improve the human rights situation in Colombia. As I made clear to the House on 23 March 2004, Official Report, columns 237–41WH, human rights are at the heart of our policy towards Colombia. The issue will be at the top of the agenda for discussion with the Colombians when I visit the country later this month. Rory Murphy of the TUC is due to be with me during that visit.

Colombia

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the level of kidnapping occurring in Colombia; and what discussions he has had with the Colombian authorities on this.

Bill Rammell: The level of kidnapping in Colombia, a serious human rights abuse, remains alarmingly and unacceptably high, even though 2003 saw an estimated decrease to 2,200 from 2,986 in 2002. Illegal armed groups and criminal gangs are largely responsible for the kidnaps, presenting a huge challenge for the Colombian security forces. We have worked closely with the Colombian authorities in individual cases of kidnapped British nationals. We support the Colombian Government in the efforts they are making to bring peace and security to the country, while urging them to do so in full observance of international human rights standards.

Cuba

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of US sanctions against Cuba; and what representations he has made to the US Administration about the most effective means of promoting transition to a pluralist democracy in Cuba.

Bill Rammell: We do not believe that sanctions offer the most effective means of promoting the transition to a pluralist democracy in Cuba. Our position, which is well understood by the US Administration, is one of constructive engagement and dialogue. This is clearly set out in the EU's Common Position on Cuba which was adopted in 1996, and which has been regularly re-affirmed since.

Deaths (British Citizens)

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each country in which more than five British citizens were killed or murdered between 1999–2000 and 2001–02.

Chris Mullin: The countries in which more than five British Citizens were killed or murdered between 1999–2000 and 2001–02 are as follows:
	
		
			 Country Murdered Killed Total 
		
		
			 1999–2000
			 Spain 5 91 96 
			 South Africa 5 34 39 
			 USA 5 29 34 
			 Greece — 22 22 
			 France 2 16 18 
			 Cyprus 1 13 14 
			 Thailand — 11 11 
			 Turkey — 9 9 
			 Pakistan 8 — 8 
			 Italy 1 7 8 
			 Australia — 8 8 
			 Portugal — 8 8 
			 Germany 2 4 6 
			 Libya — 5 5 
			 
			 2000–01
			 Spain 5 57 62 
			 USA 4 25 29 
			 France — 26 26 
			 Greece — 18 18 
			 South Africa 6 10 16 
			 Australia — 16 16 
			 Cyprus 1 14 15 
			 Thailand 3 8 11 
			 Netherlands 1 9 10 
			 Italy 1 6 7 
			 Ireland — 6 6 
			 Belgium — 6 6 
			 Switzerland — 5 5 
			 Malawi — 5 5 
			 Austria 1 4 5 
			 Kenya — 5 5 
			 
			 2001–02
			 USA 70 4 74 
			 Spain 3 48 51 
			 France 6 40 46 
			 Netherlands 2 13 15 
			 Cyprus — 13 13 
			 Australia — 13 13 
			 South Africa 6 5 11 
			 Turkey 3 8 11 
			 Greece — 11 11 
			 Belgium — 9 9 
			 Germany — 8 8 
			 Italy — 8 8 
			 India 2 4 6 
			 New Zealand — 6 6 
			 Kenya 2 3 5 
			 Pakistan 3 2 5 
			 Cuba — 5 5 
		
	
	Consular statistics are compiled on a yearly basis from April to March.

Iran

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to Iran over the arrests and indiscriminate detention of students in the country.

Bill Rammell: Ministers have on a number of occasions discussed with their Iranian counterparts the Iranian authorities' treatment of student demonstrators. EU Foreign Ministers made clear their deep concern at the arrest of several thousand students during the most recent large-scale demonstrations in July 2003. The EU has raised our concerns about individual student detainees in sessions of the EU/Iran human rights dialogue.

Iraq

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what involvement his Department will have in negotiating the use of Iraqi oil assets.

Bill Rammell: United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR 1546) of 8 June 2004 reaffirms the right of the Iraqi people to exercise full authority and control over their financial and natural resources from 30 June 2004.
	UNSCR 1483 of 22 May 2003 determined that revenue from the sale of Iraq's oil is to be paid into the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI). As determined in UNSCR 1546, upon dissolution of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) on 30 June, funds in the DFI will be disbursed solely at the discretion of the Government of Iraq. DFI funds are to be used in a transparent and equitable manner through the Iraqi budget to benefit the Iraqi people. Before this time, as determined in UNSCR 1483, DFI funds are to be disbursed at the discretion of the CPA, in consultation with the Iraqi Interim Administration.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reference the draft United Nations resolution on Iraq recently proposed by the United Kingdom and the United States makes to paragraph 20 of Resolution 1483; what the implications of this is for (a) payments required to be made by Iraq and (b) payments required to be made to Kuwait; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1546, adopted unanimously on 8 June 2004, provides for the continuation of the arrangements for the sale, audit, and handling of proceeds to the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI), as established in paragraph 20 of UNSCR 1483.
	UNSCR 1546 also provides for the continued payment of five per cent. of Iraq's oil revenues into the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) Fund, as established in paragraph 21 of UNSCR 1483. The conditions for the review of this arrangement remain as in UNSCR 1483, i.e. the current arrangements continue unless an internationally recognised, sovereign Government of Iraq and the Governing Council of the UNCC decide otherwise.
	The remaining 95 per cent. of Iraq's oil revenues will continue to be handled through the DFI, and will continue to enjoy the privileges and immunities given to it under UNSCR 1483. The Iraqi Interim Government will have sole control over disbursements from the DFI.
	Kuwait, and other states, whose claims against Iraq as a result of the 1990 invasion of Kuwait are accepted by the UNCC, will continue to receive the compensation due to them. This arrangement is subject to change only if the conditions for reviewing the five per cent. transfer of oil revenues to the UNCC—as outlined above—are met.

Iraq

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the statement of 7 June 2004, Official Report, column 31, on Iraq, when he expects to receive the results from the US Administration of their investigation into the deaths at Makr-al-Deel on 18 to 19 May.

Bill Rammell: The US investigation into the deaths at Makr-al-Deel continues. We have no indication of when it will be completed.

Korea

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of recent initiatives to open up new road and rail links between North and South Korea; and what contribution the Government are making to this process.

Bill Rammell: We welcome constructive efforts by North and South Korea to promote normal communications between the two countries. The opening of road and rail links is a positive development but, as a bilateral issue between those two countries, the Government have made no contribution.

Libya

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise at the United Nations the issue of compensation by Libya for victims of their sponsored terrorism in the United Kingdom.

Bill Rammell: There are no plans to raise this issue in the United Nations at this time.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Secretary of State for International Development's letter of 25 May 2004 to the hon. Member for Buckingham, what the response was of the Sudanese Foreign Minister to the representations made to him about the activities of the Janjaweed militias in Darfur.

Chris Mullin: My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn), and I pressed the Sudanese Foreign Minister on the need to rein in the Janjaweed militias when he visited London on 11 May. The Sudanese Foreign Minister agreed, and said that his Government was taking steps to disarm these militias, and to reintegrate them into society. In the longer term he saw a political settlement as the best way to ensure a sustainable solution to the problems in Darfur.
	During his visit to Sudan on 6 to 8 June the Secretary of State for International Development pressed the First Vice-President, among others, on the need to rein in the Janjaweed militias.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Secretary of State for International Development's letter of 25 May 2004 to the hon. Member for Buckingham, if he will list the issues of detail to be determined for progress to be made from the framework agreement between the Sudanese Government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement to the comprehensive peace agreement envisaged for the parties.

Chris Mullin: The principal remaining tasks are agreements on ceasefire and security arrangements and on the modalities of implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the Ceasefire Monitoring Commission on Sudan to begin its work.

Chris Mullin: The AU-led Ceasefire Commission for Darfur has now started to deploy. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn) met members of this Commission in Darfur on 7 June. We hope that the bulk of this deployment will be completed in the next few weeks. We are currently working to identify a suitable British candidate to join the Ceasefire Commission and have already made a financial contribution of £2 million.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what dialogue the British Government have had with the (a) Sur, (b) Masalit and (c) Zaghawa ethnic groups in the Darfur area of Sudan.

Chris Mullin: We try to maintain regular contact with all Darfur groups, and in particular those affected by the conflict. Our embassy in Khartoum have met with members of each of these three groups.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what monitoring the British Government are undertaking of outrages in Darfur, Sudan;
	(2)  what British representation there will be in the numbers of military observers pledged to maintain the ceasefire in Darfur, Sudan.

Chris Mullin: We see the deployment of the African Union (AU) ceasefire monitoring team as key to improving the security situation and addressing civilian protection. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development met with military observers from the AU team during his visit to Darfur on 7 June. The AU plan to deploy a full team of 120 observers as quickly as possible. The UK will contribute one of the six observers requested from the EU, and we hope other contributing nations will send their observers soon. The Government of Sudan have promised full support for the monitors, and the UK has provided £2 million to help the AU team to set up. In addition, the UN plan to deploy human rights monitors throughout Darfur with UK financial support.

Sudan

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further action his Department is taking to help resolve the situation in Sudan through the United Nations and prevent further human rights abuses.

Chris Mullin: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Jim Cunningham) on 10 June 2004 (UIN 176616).

Surveys

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what surveys of public perceptions of his Department and of its areas of responsibility have taken place over the last 12 months; what the (a) title and (b) nature of these surveys was; what the findings of each survey were; where these findings have been published; what the cost of such surveys was; and if he will make a statement and place copies of the surveys in the Library.

Chris Mullin: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, together with UK Trade and Investment, the British Council and Visit Britain, jointly commissioned an International Tracking Study, comprising opinion poll research carried out in October 2003 in 15 countries, which benchmarked attitudes towards the UK against key competitors. The costs were shared jointly by the four organisations, and amounted to £64,000 each. We are placing the report of the findings in the Library of the House. In addition to this quantitative survey, we have also conducted some qualitative research (primarily relatively low-cost focus groups) to help target our public diplomacy activities.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Alvis Plc

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Office of Fair Trading's investigation into the proposed takeover of Alvis plc by General Dynamics Corporation will be complete; and why the proposed takeover of Alvis plc by General Dynamics Corporation was referred to the Office of Fair Trading.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I asked the Office of Fair Trading to look at the merger as I believed that the interests of national security may be relevant to the proposed acquisition. I announced on 3 June that I had decided not to refer to the Competition Commission the proposed acquisition of Alvis plc by General Dynamics Corporation, provided the parties give undertakings to remedy the public security concerns arising in this case. The effect of the undertakings proposed would be that General Dynamics Corporation would be required to take certain measures to enable the UK to maintain its strategic capabilities and protect classified information and the intellectual property rights of the Ministry of Defence.

Business Start-ups

Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new businesses have started up in Bootle since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales, including 500 in Sefton local authority (which contains the constituency of Bootle), in the fourth quarter of 2003. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. There were 2,200 business start-ups in Sefton local authority in 2003. Data for local authorities are not available for before 2003.
	DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for Sefton local authority (for which Bootle is a constituency) for the period 1997 to 2002 are shown in the table. Data for 2003 will be available in autumn 2004.
	
		VAT registrations: Sefton local authority 1997 to 2002
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 570 
			 1998 585 
			 1999 565 
			 2000 545 
			 2001 580 
			 2002 560 
		
	
	Source:
	Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994–2002, Small Business Service.
	VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.

Business Start-ups

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new businesses have started up in Stoke-on-Trent, North since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start ups in England and Wales, including 200 in Stoke-on-Trent Unitary Authority and 1,300 in Staffordshire county (which both contain part of the constituency of Stoke-on-Trent, North), in the last quarter of 2003. Data for local authorities are not available for before 2003.
	The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before.
	DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for Stoke-on-Trent Unitary Authority and Staffordshire Moorlands local authority (which both contain part of the constituency of Stoke-on-Trent, North) are shown in the following table for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in autumn 2004.
	
		VAT Registrations
		
			  Stoke-on-Trent Unitary Authority Staffordshire Moorlands Local Authority 
		
		
			 1997 470 235 
			 1998 440 235 
			 1999 475 250 
			 2000 475 235 
			 2001 455 205 
			 2002 450 265 
		
	
	Source:
	Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994–2002, Small Business Service, available from www.sbs.gov.uk/analytical/statistics/vatstats.php. The figures are also in the Libraries of the house.
	VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.

Business Start-ups

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government have taken to help small businesses in Stoke-on-Trent, North since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: The Business Link Operator for Staffordshire, Staffordshire Business Support Ltd., has provided assistance to 1,144 enterprises, in the Stoke-on-Trent, North constituency since 2001. The Small Business Service was set up as an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000. Contracts were exchanged with a national network of 45 Business Link Operators (six in the West Midlands) to provide Business Support to small and medium sized enterprises from April 2001. Before this date Government Support to business was provided through Training and Enterprise Councils and the SBS does not have access to this data.
	73 of the 1,145 companies received Business Start Up advice, other assistance provided included Workforce Development, Financial advice, Investors In People, Specialist Business Advice, International Trade, and Marketing assistance.
	95 of the companies were Female run businesses and 392 were ethnic run businesses.
	Since April 2000 the Enterprise Grant scheme (which closed on 31 March 2004) enabled 12 companies to receive offers of grant with a total value of £430,000.
	Since 1997 the Research and Development scheme and its predecessor Smart enabled two local companies to receive offers of grant with a total value of £90,000.

Business Support

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses have been helped by the London Development Agency in (a) Greater London and (b) each London borough in each year from 2000; what the average sum of money received by these businesses is; how many of the businesses helped are still operating; and how many of these businesses have increased their profitability.

Nigel Griffiths: The London Development Agency's (LDA) performance is assessed by the Mayor and Government against a framework of key targets, including the number of businesses created/attracted/retained/expanded, 1 and the number of business interventions. 2 The following table summarises the total number of businesses created/attracted/retained/expanded as a direct result of LDA activities from March 2001. The LDA did not collect data along these lines in 2000–01. Figures cannot be accurately generated for each London borough, as the businesses assisted are not necessarily based in only one location.
	1 New businesses starting full time operation within the region and sustained for at least 12 months or business retained within the region as a result of direct activity. Expansion refers to an increase in the workforce of at least 5 per cent.
	2 The provision of non-financial support to businesses.
	
		
			 Reporting year LDA target Outputs achieved 
		
		
			 2001–02 1,785 2,073 
			 2002–03 990 1,368 
		
	
	The business interventions target was introduced for 2003–04. Performance data for 2003–04 will be published in July 2004 by the GLA and the Department for Trade and Industry.
	Because much of the support that the LDA gives to business is indirect and is not in the form of financial subsidy, the LDA does not collect figures on the average sum of money received by businesses.
	Apart from the data needed to monitor whether businesses added to the regional economy have been in operation for at least 12 months, the LDA does not collate statistics on the number of businesses it has supported continuing to be in operation, nor on their profitability.

Business Support

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been allocated to support businesses in London in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) sector and (b) borough.

Nigel Griffiths: Information on the allocation of business support is not readily available at a sector and borough level, and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

Business Support

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what international research her Department has commissioned concerning state support for business development by sector; and if she will place the results in the Library.

Nigel Griffiths: In 2001 DTI commissioned a study, 'People as Vectors of Technological Capability in Technology, Knowledge and Skills Transfer Schemes'. The emphasis of the study was on technology transfer and the means by which business could acquire specialist skills and knowledge without the costs and risks of employing specialist staff. It concluded that such knowledge transfer schemes have strong theoretical and empirical support in international practice. Two of DTI's innovation related products are designed to facilitate knowledge transfer.
	DTI has recently completed a series of Sector Competitiveness Analyses in the following sectors: construction; electronics; call centres; plastics processing; and retail sectors. Further Sector Competitiveness Analyses are underway in the following sectors: software and computer services; and healthcare equipment. These studies, which have a large economic component, aim to compare the UK sector's labour productivity with that of other countries and to investigate the reasons for differences. The results will be used to inform decisions on the DTIs provision of support for business.
	A further study is under way to review the literature relating to policies designed to promote enterprise in developed market economies, particularly the USA, France and Germany. This review will cover both underlying philosophies and strategies and specific policies related to the promotion of enterprise. The research, due to be completed by the end of June will include in depth studies of policy and practice in: US, Sweden, Germany, Australia and Canada plus reviews of specific initiatives in other developed economies.
	Copies of all studies will be made available in the Libraries of the House.

Cold Calling

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she is putting in place to tackle cold calling; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) published their market study report into Doorstep Selling on 12 May. The report is being carefully considered and any proposed legislative changes will be the subject of thorough consultation.

Cold Calling

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the scale of cold calling; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) have investigated Doorstep Selling as a whole and published their market study report on 12 May. The report includes an estimate that the overall number of bogus trading cases related to cold calling is in the region of 15,000 each year with an average transaction of £2,500.

Crown Post Offices

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  for how long commitments contained in public notices of the proposed transfer of Crown post offices to Primeco that services will not be adversely affected have effect; and what guarantees are written into agreements with Primeco and other companies that services will be unaffected in future years;
	(2)  which Crown post offices have been transferred to Primeco in each of the last 12 months; and which are the subject of proposals to transfer to Primeco.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 9 June 2004
	This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Electricity Generation/Supply

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of likely levels of (a) domestic electricity charges and (b) transmission charges under British Electricity Trading and Transmission Arrangements.

Stephen Timms: The DTI has carried out an analysis of the possible impact of the British Electricity Trading and Transmission Arrangements (BETTA) as part of the Energy Bill Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) (www.dti.gov.uk/energy/leg and reg/acts/ria2.pdf). Benefits to domestic customers are likely to accrue mainly to those in Scotland. We do not expect any appreciable effect to customers in England and Wales in the short term as BETTA does not substantially change the market in these regions.
	The RIA estimated that a combination of increased electricity wholesale competition and a re-allocation in the way transmission charges are calculated could see annual domestic electricity bills in Scotland falling by around £13 per customer, all other things being equal. Customers who switch suppliers could make further gains.
	Transmission charges under BETTA have not been finalised and as such all calculations are estimates. The Great Britain System Operator designate, National Grid Company (NGC), produced a recent consultation "GB Transmission Charging: Initial Methodologies" published on 8 April 2004. This sets out two scenarios of what transmission charges might be in 2005–06 following BETTA's planned introduction. This consultation is available at: www.nationalgridinfo.co.uk/betta/gb consultations.html
	NGC will submit final transmission charging proposals to the Industry Regulator, Ofgem, for approval later this year contingent on the SoS designating the relevant licence conditions once legislative powers are available.

Equality

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what practical steps the Government are taking to address issues of equality.

Jacqui Smith: Since 1997 the Government have worked to increase opportunity and tackle discrimination and disadvantage through a wide range of legislation, policies and programmes. This includes introducing new legislation outlawing discrimination in employment on grounds of sexual orientation, religion and belief (and in due course age); strengthening existing legislation on disability discrimination; strengthening the Race Relations Act including introducing a duty on public bodies to promote race equality; and publication of a draft Disability Discrimination Bill, which will further extend rights and opportunities for disabled people. We are also continuing to improve the workings of the Equal Pay Act and the Sex Discrimination Act, for example, through the introduction of the Equal Pay questionnaire and through action to streamline the complex rules of procedure relating to equal value tribunal cases. Further major steps are in progress or planned.
	The White Paper "Fairness for all" published on 12 May 2004 proposes the creation of a single Commission for Equality and Human Rights. This step reflects the first comprehensive review of our statutory equality institutions for quarter of a century and makes clear the Government's determination to place equality and human rights at the heart of society. The CEHR will champion equality and diversity, tackle discrimination robustly, provide support for the full breadth of discrimination legislation and promote a culture of respect for human rights. It will be able to serve all the communities covered by discrimination legislation more effectively than at present, while retaining focus, knowledge and expertise relevant to particular groups.

EU Legislation

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the occasions when representations have been made to her Department highlighting possible over-implementation of EU legislation, stating in each instance (a) the EU directive, (b) the individual or organisation making the representation and (c) the aspect of over-implementation; and if she will make a statement on the Government's response.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 10 June 2004
	The information sought cannot be provided as representations received by the Department in relation to possible over-implementation of EU legislation are not held centrally.
	However, the Department seeks to ensure that the principles of better regulation are observed when implementing EU legislation.

EU Social Chapter

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the benefits of the EU Social Chapter for the residents of Wirral, South.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The residents of Wirral, South have benefited from the EU Social Chapter by having their employment rights extended to include:
	the right to parental leave which gives parents the right to 13 weeks unpaid leave at the birth or adoption of a child;
	the entitlement of part-time workers to the same pro-rata terms and conditions of employment as full-time workers, thereby removing any discrimination and improving the quality of part-time jobs;
	the provision that once a prima facie case has been made in an employment tribunal claim, the burden of proof is placed on the defendant (usually the employer), who will need to demonstrate that sex discrimination has not occurred;
	rights under the Fixed Term Work Directive that provide for the fair treatment of fixed term workers and prevent abuse of fixed term contracts;
	rights under the European Works Council Directive which requires companies with at least 1,000 employees in total and at least 150 workers in each of the two member states, to establish structures for consulting workers on issues that affect them.
	In addition, the Information and Consultation of Employees Directive to be implemented in the UK by March 2005, establishes a right to new minimum standards for workforce communication and involvement in large firms.

Government Websites

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the compliance of Government websites with Web Accessibility Initiative guidelines.

Douglas Alexander: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government have adopted the Web Accessibility Initiative guidelines and encourages compliance through the provision of extensive guidance and good practice. Our publications 'Guidelines for UK Government websites' and the 'Quality Framework for UK government Website Design', are available online www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ e-government/webguidelines. Copies will be placed in the Library. Compliance is the responsibility of individual departments and agencies.

Mains Gas Network

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what plans her Department has to provide assistance and support for the extension of the mains gas network to those areas without access, with particular reference to deprived communities;
	(2)  what discussions have been held between her Department and the Treasury to seek funding for the extension of mains gas provision to areas of England not served by the network; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The Department estimates that, based on figures for 2001, around 450,000 vulnerable, fuel poor households lacked access to mains gas, and that around 180,000 of those households might feasibly be connected to the mains gas network. The Department has been considering the possibility of funding for a programme to provide connection to deprived communities without mains gas. The Design and Demonstration Unit, which is based in DTI and designs and develops projects in support of White Paper objectives has completed two pathfinder projects to provide gas connections to deprived communities, and is currently working on a third. It hopes to undertake more projects during 2004–05.

Parental Leave

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many parents in the (a) £5,000 to £10,000, (b) £10,001 to £15,000, (c) £15,001 to £20,000, (d) £20,001 to £25,000 and (e) £25,001 to £30,000 income brackets have exercised their right to take parental leave in each year since its introduction.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 24 May 2004
	Data on the take-up of parental leave disaggregated by income band is not yet available.

Parental Leave

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many parents of disabled children have taken parental leave in each calendar year since the right to such leave was introduced.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 24 May 2004
	Data on the take-up of parental leave by the parents of disabled children is not yet available.

Post Office Closures (London)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post office closures there have been in each London borough in each year since 1997.

Stephen Timms: I am advised by Post Office Ltd. that data on post office closures by local authority area is not available in the form requested, as the company does not require this data for operational purposes. However, it has produced quarterly statistics on post office closures by Government region/country since March 2000 and the net closure figures for the London region are:
	Year to end March 2001—10
	Year to end March 2002—16
	Year to end March 2003—44 (including 11 under the urban reinvention programme)
	Year to end March 2004—155 (including 142 under the urban reinvention programme).

Post Office Reinvention Programme

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with Post Office Ltd. on the interpretation of European Commission approval of the funds made available for the Post Office Urban Reinvention Programme; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The terms of the compensation funding for the Post Office Urban Reinvention Programme are set out in the October 2002 offer letter between the Department and Post Office Ltd. and reflect fully the terms of the European Commission's approval of the scheme for state aid purposes.
	The rationale for the urban reinvention programme, and the context of the European Commission's state aid clearance, is to restore the urban post office network to economic sustainability by reducing its size, while continuing to maintain good levels of accessibility with at least 95 per cent. of the urban population nationally living within one mile of a post office and the majority within half a mile at the end of the programme.

Radio Frequency Identifiers

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 12 May 2004, Official Report, column 443W, on radio frequency identifiers, if she will assess the potential change in the number of jobs in the retail sector as a result of the implementation of radio frequency identifier devices technology.

Stephen Timms: Radio frequency identifier device (RFID) technologies are currently deployed in the retail environment for tagging at case or pallet level in distribution and stock control. It does not appear to have had impacts on job numbers. The possible extension of RFID technology to tagging at item level may have implications for employment and the range of skills and competences required of retail staff. The Department for Trade and Industry will monitor developments through its relationship with the retail sector and the relevant Sector Skills Councils.

Renewable Energy

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what target her Department has set for (a) the amount and (b) the percentage of electricity the UK should be obtaining from renewable sources by (i) 2004 and (ii) each year to 2010; what revision to the original renewables obligation targets for electricity from renewable sources has been made since it was introduced; what progress has been made to date; and what assessment she has made of whether the targets will be met within the stipulated time.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The Government have set the target of 10 per cent. of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2010, but has not set separate targets for each year until that date.
	(b) During the first year of Renewables Obligation operation, the UK produced about 1.8 per cent. of its electricity from eligible renewable sources—somewhat below the level of the Renewables Obligation of 3.0 per cent. for that period. However, including all renewables sources, the total UK production from renewables for the same period was slightly over 3.0 per cent.
	The Government recently announced that the level of the RO would be increased from 2010 rising to 15.4 per cent. by 2015. This will help long-term investment decisions in renewables.
	The targets we have set are achievable, but challenging, since we are starting from a low base. However, we are doing all we can to achieve this target. The Government have established a framework for expansion and expect the industry to demonstrate they can achieve our goals at an acceptable cost.
	We expect the main growth between now and 2010 to come from onshore and offshore wind farms.

Renewable Energy

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the study commissioned by her Department of the actual and potential impact of community benefits schemes on the deployment of renewable energy projects.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 10 June 2004
	The Department has commissioned a study of the actual and potential impact of community benefits schemes on the deployment of renewable, especially wind, energy projects. A report is expected later this year.

Secondments

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many UK Trade and Investment international trade advisers went on secondment to the private sector in the last year for which figures are available.

Patricia Hewitt: We have begun encouraging such outward interchanges to the private sector but none has yet taken place. However, over 70 per cent. of UK Trade and Investment's international trade advisers were recruited from the private sector, and already have relevant business experience.

South West Regional Development Agency

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grants have been distributed by the South West Regional Development Agency since 2002–03, broken down by (a) county and (b) district.

Jacqui Smith: South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) does not hold the information on the basis requested. Grant payments are recorded against the themes set out in SWRDA's Corporate Plan 2003–06, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the average payment to a recipient of (a) incapacity benefit and (b) income-based job seeker's allowance.

Chris Pond: In November 2003, the average weekly payment of incapacity benefit was £82.84 and the average weekly payment of income-based job seekers allowance was £62.62.
	Note:
	Figures are subject to sampling variation.
	Source:
	DWP-IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample

Benefits

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the (a) costs of administering and (b) actual benefit expenditure for (i) the state retirement pension, (ii) child benefit, (iii) income support, (iv) minimum income guarantee of pension credit, (v) jobseekers allowance, (vi) disability living allowance and (viii) incapacity benefit in the latest year for which figures are available.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is in the table.
	
		£ million Nominal terms
		
			 Benefit Administration costs 1998–99 1 Estimated benefit expenditure outturn 
		
		
			 2003–04   
			 Retirement Pension (including earnings related) 314 46,467 
			 Minimum Income Guarantee of Pension Credit n/a 4,544 
			 Income Support 581 10,073 
			 Jobseekers Allowance Contribution Based 51 531 
			 Jobseekers Allowance Income Based 330 2,027 
			 Disability Living Allowance 119 7,589 
			 Incapacity Benefit 375 6,715 
			
			 2002–03 2   
			 Child Benefit 125 8,945 
		
	
	(13) The latest figures available for administration costs for the benefits in the table are from the publication, "Social Security Departmental Report: The Government's Expenditure Plans 2000/01–2001/02". Administration costs for main benefits after this date is not currently available in the format requested. The Department now accounts for its administration and benefit expenditure by Strategic Objective, as set out in its Public Service Agreements (PSA), and by individual Requests for Resources (RfRs), as set out in the Departmental Estimates and Accounts.
	(14) This is the latest year for which figures are currently available. Responsibility for child benefit was transferred to Inland Revenue from April 2003.

Community Care Grants

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of community care grants was in each of the last four years.

Chris Pond: The information is in the table.
	
		Community care grant expenditure -- £
		
			  Expenditure 
		
		
			 2000–01 100.1 
			 2001–02 102.6 
			 2002–03 108 
			 2003–04 117.5 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures include expenditure from extra budget allocations for contingency purposes.
	2. Figures do not include expenditure recorded clerically.
	Source:
	DWP Policy, Budget and Management Information System (PBMIS)

Correspondence

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the right hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree will be in a position to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for North East Bedfordshire of 21 April, requesting that she meet a delegation of hon. Members to discuss the Working at Height Directive.

Jane Kennedy: I have written to the hon. Member today.

Disability Discrimination Bill

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the number of people who would be protected from discrimination if the recommendations in paragraphs 79, 88 and 99 of the report of the Joint Committee on the Draft Disability Discrimination Bill were to be accepted;
	(2)  when he expects to publish the Disability Discrimination Bill.

Maria Eagle: We have made no such assessment. We are still considering the recommendations of the Joint Committee on the draft Disability Discrimination Bill, which were published on 27 May 2004. We will respond as soon as possible. The timing of the introduction of the Bill is a matter to be determined by Business Managers in the usual way.

Disability Living Allowance

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of disability living allowance; and, of these, what percentage are only in receipt of the care component.

Maria Eagle: The total number of disability living allowance recipients as at 30 November 2003 was 2,558,200. 13.2 per cent. of these are in receipt of the care component only.
	Note:
	Figure taken from a 5 per cent. sample at 30 November 2003 and rounded to the nearest hundred. From November 2002, the methodology for producing these figures was changed to allow statistics to be published much sooner. This has resulted in a small increase in the reported caseload. This is because some cases which have actually terminated but have not yet been updated on the computer system are now included.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre.

Household Incomes

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the change in income resulting from tax and benefit measures was in real terms for the lowest income decile of families in each year since 1997, expressed in each case as a percentage change in relation to 1997 base figures.

Chris Pond: The information is not available in the format requested and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	However, as a result of personal direct tax and benefit measures introduced by this Government since 1997, in 2004–05, households in the bottom tenth of the income distribution will have gained, on average, £1,900 a year in real terms.

Incapacity Benefit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average weekly payment of incapacity benefit has been in each year since 1997–98.

Maria Eagle: The information is in the table.
	
		Average weekly amount of incapacity benefit -- £
		
			 November Average weekly amount 
		
		
			 1997 81.07 
			 1998 82.15 
			 1999 82.54 
			 2000 81.73 
			 2001 82.76 
			 2002 82.75 
			 2003 82.84 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures exclude 'national insurance credits only' cases.
	Source:
	DWP Information Centre, 5 per cent. samples.

Income Support

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of women claiming income support.

Chris Pond: The number of women claiming income support (as a single person or on behalf of a couple) in Great Britain at November 2003 was 1,393,700. There were an additional 214,000 income support benefit units where there was a male claimant and a female partner.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to sampling variation. 2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred. 3. Excludes pension credit cases.

Lone Parents

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents in Stoke-on-Trent North have gained work through the New Deal programmes; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Through the New Deal we have introduced a wide range of initiatives to help lone parents improve their employment prospects by giving them the skills, support and confidence they need to move into work. The New Deal runs alongside other measures which are helping lone parents into work and making work pay for them. These include our National Childcare Strategy; the Lone Parent's Benefit Run-On; the child tax credit and the working tax credit (including the childcare tax credit).
	380 lone parents in Stoke-on-Trent North have gained work through the New Deal for Lone Parents since the start of the programme in October 1998. Figures for lone parents who have gained work through other New Deal programmes are not available.

Ministerial Visits

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the travel costs incurred by (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) each Minister within his Department, for each of the last 10 years.

Maria Eagle: In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These report information reaching back to 1995–96. Information for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and in some cases will no longer be held. Information for 2003–04 will be published in due course.
	Departmental travel costs for the Department and the former Department of Social Security for the last 10 years is not available, however we do have information relating to the last seven years and I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) on 24 May 2004, Official Report, Volume 421, column 1470W.
	Information relating to individual ministers for this period is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Ministerial Visits

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many journeys were made by helicopter by each Minister in his Department and its predecessors in each of the last 10 years; and what the journey length was in each case.

Maria Eagle: In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These report information reaching back to 1995–96. Information for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and in some cases will no longer be held. Information for 2003–04 will be published in due course.
	Information relating to the use of helicopters by Ministers of this Department, and it's predecessor the Department of Social Security, is not available for the last 10 years, however there has been no use of helicopters, at departmental expense, since 1997.
	All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Pension Credit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many (a) individuals and (b) households he expects to be eligible for pension credit in (i) 2004–05, (ii) 2005–06, (iii) 2006–07 and (iv) 2008–09;
	(2)  what his Department's target is for the number of (a) individuals and (b) households who will be receiving pension credit by (i) 2004–05, (ii) 2005–06, (iii) 2006–07 and (iv) 2007–08.

Malcolm Wicks: Estimates of levels of eligibility for pension credit to 2008–09 are provided in the table. The Department has set a Public Service Agreement target for at least three million pensioner households, corresponding to around 3.7 million individuals, to be in receipt of pension credit by March 2006 and is on course to achieve this.
	
		Number of households and individuals estimated to be eligible for pension credit, 2004–05 to 2008–09 -- Million
		
			  Households Individuals 
		
		
			 2004–05 3.75 4.85 
			 2005–06 3.85 5.00 
			 2006–07 3.95 5.10 
			 2007–08 4.10 5.35 
			 2008–09 4.25 5.55 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Estimates for private households and individuals are based on Family Resources Survey data for 2002–03 projected forward to reflect changes in taxes, benefit rates and pensioners' incomes.
	2. Estimates for pensioners in care homes are based on DWP administrative data on the number of recipients of minimum income guarantee in residential care and nursing homes and on data from Health Departments on the number of local authority supported care home residents.
	3. Estimates have been rounded to the nearest 50,000 cases, are subject to a wide margin of error and should be used as broad indications of the likely eligible population only.
	4. A pensioner household is defined as single persons aged 60 or over and couples where at least one partner is aged 60 or over. Individuals are single pensioners with eligibility and both partners in a couple with eligibility.

Pensioner Incomes

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average change in household income for pensioners in Stalybridge and Hyde has been since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not available.

Pensions

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of average income the state pension represented in each year since 1994.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested. The information as is available is in the table.
	
		
			  Percentage of average income 
		
		
			 1996–97 35 
			 1997–98 34 
			 1998–99 31 
			 1999–2000 31 
			 2000–01 29 
			 2001–02 30 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. State pension figures are derived from a five per cent. sample of DWP administrative data taken at March in each year.
	2. Average income for each financial year is median gross weekly individual income taken from Individual Incomes 1996/7–2001/2 published by the Department for Work and Pensions. The Individual Income series used is based on the Family Resources Survey which has been available since 1996.
	3. State pension is calculated as the maximum rate of basic state pension plus the average amount of additional state pension in payment for recently retired men aged 65 and women aged 60.
	4. The figures have been rounded to the nearest percentage point.

Pensions

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pension schemes have started the winding-up process in each year since 1997; and how many pension scheme members have been affected, broken down by (a) pensioners and (b) people who had not retired when the winding-up began.

Malcolm Wicks: The Pensions Schemes Registry, administered by the Occupational Pension Schemes Regulatory Authority (OPRA), holds information on the number of pension schemes which are currently in the winding up process. Figures showing the number of schemes that have entered winding up each year since 1997 and have not yet completed winding up are contained in the table, along with numbers of members in those schemes.
	It is not possible to break these figures down by pensioner and pre-retirement numbers, as the registry only provides data on total membership numbers.
	
		Schemes that are winding up
		
			  Number of schemes Number of members 
		
		
			 1 April 1997–3 March 1998 120 1,944 
			 1 April 1998–3 March 1999 156 5,143 
			 1 April 1999–3 March 2000 3,921 88,577 
			 1 April 2000–3 March 2001 1,403 52,623 
			 1 April 2001–3 March 2002 1,866 61,639 
			 1 April 2002–3 March 2003 1,460 73,982 
			 1 April 2003–3 March 2004 1,420 48,194 
			 Total 10,346 332,102 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The table does not contain schemes that started winding up in the time period given and have since completed wind up. The Pensions Schemes Registry only records the present status of a scheme so only those winding up at the moment are captured. This is unlikely to bias the figures extensively as the winding up process can take many years to complete, particularly for large firms.
	2. A winding up scheme is one which has notified OPRA that it has commenced winding up procedures.
	3. Schemes have up to 12 months to notify OPRA of any status change so the data for the current year is provisional.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will list the meetings with external (a) bodies and (b) individuals that his Department's (i) special advisers and (ii) unpaid advisers have attended without Ministers in their official capacity in each year since 1996–97;
	(2)  if he will list the attributable letters that his Department's (a) special advisers and (b) unpaid advisers have written to external (i) bodies and (ii) individuals in their official capacity in each year since 1996–97.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions was created in June 2001. Information prior to June 2001 refers to the former Department of Social Security. The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers makes clear that special advisers may liaise with outside interest groups on the Minister's behalf. The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department has no unpaid advisers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what role his Department's (a) special advisers and (b) unpaid advisers play in the (i) appraisal, (ii) reward, (iii) discipline and (iv) promotion of permanent civil servants.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions was created in June 2001. Information prior to June 2001 refers to the former Department of Social Security. In its response to the Ninth Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, the Government made clear that with the exception of up to three posts in No. 10, special advisers cannot have any role in the appraisal, reward, discipline or promotion of permanent civil servants.
	The Department has no unpaid advisers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list occasions when his Department's (a) special advisers and (b) unpaid advisers have been responsible for authorising departmental spending since 1997.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions was created in June 2001. Information prior to June 2001 refers to the former Department of Social Security. No special adviser within the Department has, or has had, any authority to authorise departmental spending.
	The Department has no unpaid advisers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department's (a) special advisers and (b) unpaid advisers give instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers.

Maria Eagle: In its response to the Ninth Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, the Government made clear that special advisers may, on behalf of their Ministers, convey to officials Ministers' views and work priorities. It is not the case that special advisers in the Department may issue instructions to permanent civil servants.
	The Department has no unpaid advisers.

Specialised Disability Fund

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale have gained work through the New Deal programme.

Jane Kennedy: 520 lone parents in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale have gained work through the New Deal for Lone Parents since the start of the programme in October 1998. Figures for lone parents who have gained work through other New Deal Programmes are not available.

Specialised Disability Fund

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale have benefited from (a) the New Deal for Lone Parents and (b) the New Deal for Partners since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Through the New Deal we have introduced a wide range of initiatives to help individuals improve their employment prospects by giving them the skills, support and confidence they need to move into work. From 12 April we enhanced the New Deal for Partners in order to offer partners taking part in that programme the same level of help and support as our successful New Deal for Lone Parents programme. Also from this April we have started to roll out Work Focused Interviews for Partners, offering greater support to partners of benefit recipients.
	920 women have started New Deal for Lone Parents in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale since the beginning of the programme in October 1998, of whom, 490 have gained a job. Information on the number of women who have benefited from the New Deal for Partners is not available.

Specialised Disability Fund

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale have benefited from the winter fuel allowance since 1997; and what percentage are (a) women and (b) of Asian origin.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of senior citizens in the Rochdale constituency who have benefited from a winter fuel payment in each year since 1999–2000 (including provisional figures for 2003–04) and identified by gender is in the table. Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters and ethnic origin is not available.
	
		
			  Payments made 
			  All Men Women Percentage of women 
		
		
			 1999–2000 14,285 5,495 8,785 61.5 
			 2000–01 15,635 6,820 8,810 56.3 
			 2001–02 15,685 6,965 8,720 55.6 
			 2002–03 15,845 7,115 8,730 55.1 
			 2003–04 15,795 7,085 8,710 55.1 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. Please note that the figures for 2003–04 refer only to the main payment run i.e. they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). Since most of the payments made in late payment runs are to people who are not receiving another benefit from DWP and whose claims had not been received by the qualifying week, most are to men aged 60.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.

Sure Start

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many mothers in Stoke-on-Trent North have received the Sure Start maternity grant.

Chris Pond: The information is in the tables.
	
		Sure Start maternity grants for area covered by Staffordshire Social Fund District
		
			  Applications Awards 
		
		
			 2000–01 2,830 2,498 
			 2001–02 3,502 3,024 
			 2002–03 to October 2,659 2,221 
		
	
	
		Sure Start Maternity Grants for area covered by Staffordshire Jobcentre Plus District
		
			  Applications Awards 
		
		
			 2002–03 from November 2,142 1,648 
			 2003–04 5,504 4,199 
			 2004–05 to May 961 680 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Stoke on Trent North parliamentary constituency was part of the Staffordshire Social Fund District. In November 2002, Staffordshire Social Fund District was combined with parts of Burton Social Fund District to form Staffordshire Jobcentre Plus District. The two areas for which data is given above are different, therefore the data is not comparable.
	2. Sure Start maternity grants were introduced on 27 March 2000. There were no applications recorded in the Staffordshire district during 1999–2000
	3. Data is given for all applications and awards, irrespective of whether the application was made by the mother or her partner.
	Source:
	DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens in Stoke-on-Trent North have benefited from the winter fuel allowance since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of senior citizens in Stoke-on-Trent North who received a winter fuel payment in each year since 1999–2000 (including provisional figures for 2003–04) is in the table. Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters is not available.
	
		
			  Payments 
		
		
			 1999–2000 14,525 
			 2000–01 15,950 
			 2001–02 16,101 
			 2002–03 16,065 
			 2003–04 16,090 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. Please note that the figures for 2003–04 refer only to the main payment run i.e. they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). However, since late payment runs are mainly in respect of non-system cases whose claim had not been received by qualifying week, they are heavily skewed towards men aged 60.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.

Winter Fuel Allowance

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Stalybridge and Hyde received the winter fuel allowance; and how many receive the pension credit.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of pensioners in Stalybridge and Hyde who received a winter fuel payment for winter 2003–04 was 15,580. As at 31 May 2004, 4,530 households (5,430 individuals) in Stalybridge and Hyde were in receipt of pension credit.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. 2. The winter fuel payment figure includes only the main payment run—i.e. it does not include late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). However, since late payment runs are mainly in respect of non-system cases whose claim had not been received by qualifying week, they are heavily skewed towards men aged 60. 3. Individuals in receipt of pension credit include a small number of cases of couples where the partner is under age 60.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

All-postal Ballots

Chris Ruane: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what procedures will be put in place to inform electors who have incorrectly filled in their postal ballot papers of their mistake.

Christopher Leslie: In the four all-postal pilot regions at the 10 June elections, the European Parliamentary and Local Elections (All-Postal) Pilot Order 2004 provided that where an incomplete declaration of identity was found within a ballot pack before noon on 8 June, the returning officer was required to return it to the elector, along with a letter explaining that a completed declaration was needed in order that the vote could be considered valid. If the elector then completed and returned the declaration before the close of poll, their ballot paper would be put forward to the count.
	There was no similar requirement placed upon returning officer by the rules governing postal voting in the non-pilot regions.
	Postal ballot papers that were returned spoilt were dealt with at the counting of the votes in the same way as votes cast at a polling station. However, if an elector voting by post reported their ballot paper spoilt before returning it, arrangements were in place both in the pilot and non-pilot regions to allow the issuing of a replacement.

All-postal Ballots

David Amess: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many people were on the electoral roll in the four regions for which all-postal voting pilots were to be held for elections on 10 June.

Christopher Leslie: As at December 2003, there were 14,083,004 people on the electoral roll for the four all-postal pilot regions which are the North East, East Midlands, Yorkshire & the Humber and North West.

All-postal Ballots

David Amess: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in areas not subject to all-postal voting pilots who registered to vote by post at the elections to be held on 10th June in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland, (d) Essex and (e) Southend West.

Christopher Leslie: Individual Electoral Registration Officers keep records of the number of postal voters in their registration area. For the elections on 10th June this year, in those regions not holding all-postal pilots, it was possible to apply for a postal vote at any time until Wednesday, 2 June and statistics are therefore still being compiled. I understand that the independent Electoral Commission are to publish details of the number of postal ballot papers issued and various other statistics relating to the European Parliamentary elections later this year. Available statistics show that at the 2001 General Election, 1,758,055 postal votes were issued in the UK in total.

All-postal Ballots

David Amess: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate he has made of extra costs arising from problems with distribution of ballot papers in regions for which all-postal ballots are being held for elections on 10th June.

Christopher Leslie: Returning officers have the contractual relationship with suppliers of ballot packs. They will be submitting claims for their costs of the all-postal ballots to the Elections Claims Unit in due course. When those claims have been received, it will be possible to make an estimate of any costs falling to Returning Officers arising from any problems with printing and distribution.

All-postal Ballots

Tim Boswell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment will be made of the comparative outturn costs of all-postal ballots against (a) conventional ballots and (b) the prior assessments of all-postal costs; and what arrangements the Department will make to repay to local returning officers any unbudgeted expenditure.

Christopher Leslie: Returning Officers are required to submit their accounts to the Secretary of State within six months of the announcement of the results of the election. This will enable comparisons to be made with previous expenditure of elections in those areas and with other similar areas running conventional elections and against predicted costs.
	The Electoral Commission will be reporting on the all-postal ballots within three months of the close of poll on 10 June. Their report will also include an assessment of the extent to which postal voting provides opportunities for savings in the costs of administering the election or any increase in such costs.
	Unforeseen expenditure reasonably incurred to ensure the effective running of the all-postal ballots will be covered by central Government.

Departmental Surveys

Norman Lamb: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what surveys of public perceptions of his Department and of its areas of responsibility have taken place over the last 12 months; what the (a) title and (b) nature of these surveys was; what the findings of each survey were; where these findings have been published; what the cost of such surveys was; and if he will make a statement and place copies of the surveys in the Library.

Christopher Leslie: The National Customer Satisfaction postal survey 2003–04, conducted by Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) International plc, sought customer opinion on the service provided across the Court Service. It covered the civil and family courts, the Crown Court, the offices and courts situated in the Royal Courts of Justice, the Probate Registries, as well as the Tribunals administered by the Court Service. User communities consulted included the public, professionals (the Bar, solicitors etc.) and jurors. The survey contributes to measuring user satisfaction under PSA 4.
	When compared with the previous (2001–02) exercise, overall satisfaction of court users showed an increase from 78 to 84 per cent. Jurors continue to be the Court Service's most content group of users, with an 86 per cent. overall satisfaction rate achieved during 2003–04.
	The survey, which encompassed more than 300 courts and Tribunals, cost just over £250,000.
	Two comprehensive reports—one covering the civil and family courts, the other the remainder of the organisation—were produced by ORC International and have been sent to all senior managers in the Court Service. In line with established practice, the reports will be posted on the Court Service website and can be made available for placing in the Library.

Domestic Violence

Tim Loughton: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what arrangements are available to women who have been the subject of domestic violence and do not wish to have their addresses given on electoral rolls.

Christopher Leslie: Any elector may opt to have his or her name and address excluded from the edited version of the electoral register that is available for sale commercially. Electoral Registration Officers are required to include in the published full register all persons who they consider are eligible to be registered. Anonymous registration or the use of pseudonyms is not currently permitted, though electors may use alternative names (such as maiden or professional names) for registration purposes, provided they are names by which they are commonly known. The independent Electoral Commission in its May 2003 report 'The electoral registration process' recommended that an anonymous registration a genuine threat to their safety. The Government are currently considering this proposal together with the range of other recommendations made by the Electoral Commission relating to current electoral law and procedure.

Magistrates

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many magistrates are Freemasons in (a) England, (b) the North West, (c) Lancashire and (d) each Lancashire district.

Christopher Leslie: Numbers of magistrates who have declared themselves to be masons are:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 (a) England (including the Duchy of Lancaster) 1,147 
			 (b) the North West 152 
			 (c) Lancashire 55 
			 (d) Each Lancashire district:  
			 Blackburn, Darwen and RV 6 
			 Fylde Coast 13 
			 Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale 12 
			 Chorley 3 
			 Hyndburn 2 
			 Lancaster 7 
			 Ormskirk 1 
			 Preston 10 
			 South Ribble 1

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

EU Funding (St. Helens)

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much investment has gone into St. Helens from European Structural Funds since 2001.

Phil Hope: As of 10 June 2004 the amount of European Structural Funds, which has gone into the metropolitan borough of St. Helens since 2001 is tabled as follows. The figures illustrate only projects specifically within the metropolitan borough of St. Helens. In addition to this almost 50 per cent. of the Objective 1 programme delivers Pan-Merseyside projects which metropolitan borough of St. Helens residents/businesses have access to.
	
		European Regional Development Fund -- £
		
			  ERDF committed ERDF spent 
		
		
			 2001 4,604,711 92,159 
			 2002 3,006,317 2,904,581 
			 2003 3,295,736 3,932,120 
			 2004 1,234,822 475,907 
			 Totals 12,141,586 7,404,767 
		
	
	
		European Social Fund -- £
		
			  ERDF ESF spent 
		
		
			 2001 582,357 2,197,990 
			 2002 4,859,643 3,697,572 
			 2003 1,868,264 2,597,526 
			 2004 469,168 1,082,714 
			 Totals 7,779,432 9,575,802 
		
	
	
		European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund -- £
		
			  EAGGF Committed EAGGF Spent 
		
		
			 2001 0 0 
			 2002 0 0 
			 2003 12,847 0 
			 2004 0 8,622 
			 Totals 12,847 8,622

Allotments

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what encouragement he is giving to local authorities to (a) maintain and preserve allotments and (b) provide replacement land where land formerly used for allotments has been subject to development.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has a number of measures to encourage local authorities to maintain and preserve allotments. Firstly, if an allotment authority is of the opinion that there is a demand for allotments in its area, it is required, under section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908, to provide a sufficient number of allotments and to let them to persons residing in its area who want them.
	Secondly, our advice to local planning authorities on planning for open space, sport and recreation is contained in Planning Policy Guidance note 17 (PPG 17) and recognises allotments as one of the types of open space that may be of public value. Local planning authorities are required to undertake robust audits of such spaces and to conduct assessments of need for their areas. Where the need for particular types of open spaces such as allotments is established, planning authorities are expected to protect them through adopting and implementing appropriate policies.
	Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 (PPG3) appreciates the value that open spaces such as allotments can add to a community's quality of life, health and contribution to nature conservation. Paragraph 53 states that local planning authorities should have clear policies for the protection and creation of open space, and new housing developments should incorporate sufficient provision where such spaces are not already adequately provided within easy access of the new housing.
	PPG3 (Annexe C) also specifically excludes parks, recreation grounds and allotments from the definition of previously developed land—even though these areas may contain certain urban features such as pavilions and other buildings, and protecting them from the priority given to development on brownfield land.
	Thirdly, in partnership with the Local Government Association, Greater London Authority, and Shell Better Britain Campaign, we published "growing in the community: a good practice guide for the management of allotments", in June 2001. This guide provides comprehensive advice and good practice for local authorities on all aspects of allotment management.
	In terms of providing replacement land, a requirement of section 8 of the Allotments Act 1925 is that if an authority wishes to dispose of statutory allotment land, and existing plotholders would be displaced "adequate provision" must be made for them.
	PPG17 also provides advice for the instance where a replacement is needed for a site required for development. It specifies that the replacement land should be at least as accessible to current and potential new users, and at least equivalent in terms of size, usefulness, attractiveness and quality. Where possible the aim should be to realise qualitative improvements.

Allotments

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many allotments existed (a) 10 years ago and (b) in the last year for which figures are available.

Keith Hill: The "English Allotments Survey: report of the joint survey of allotments in England", published in 1997 by the former Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, provided estimates of the numbers of allotment plots in England for four specific years—1970, 1977, 1978 and 1996. Therefore data on allotments in 1994 are not held centrally, however in 1996 there were 296,923 plots in England.
	In "Living Places: Cleaner, Safer, Greener" the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister sets out plans to update the survey and expand it to include community gardens and city farms. This research has now been commissioned and links to the development of a national database of different types of green spaces. Disposal of statutory allotments are also administered and monitored by the Government offices for the regions.

Building Regulations

Joan Walley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his plans are for including micro-renewables in building regulations; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The Building Regulations set functional requirements rather than specifying particular ways of showing compliance. This enables builders to develop their own ways of complying with the requirements, using conventional or new technologies as appropriate. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is reviewing the energy efficiency provisions in line with the commitments made in the Energy White Paper and the prospective higher standards that we aim to bring into effect in 2005 are likely to make new systems like micro-renewables more attractive. I hope to announce consultation on the proposed new requirements in the next few weeks.

Correspondence

Martin Linton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to reply to the letter of the hon. Member for Battersea to the Minister of State for Housing and Planning on the subject of affordable housing.

Keith Hill: I replied to my hon. Friend on 11 June.

Departmental Duty Officers

Bill Tynan: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the role of his office's duty officers is; what criteria are used to decide which incidents the duty officers are notified of by fire services; and what use is made of these notifications.

Nick Raynsford: The Duty Officer is responsible for taking official and emergency calls out of hours and taking appropriate action as necessary. This involves either contacting nominated on-call officers from appropriate divisions/sections within the Department for Transport (DfT)/the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), and/or taking prescribed action as issued by divisions/sections.
	The criteria used to decide which incidents the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister duty officers are notified of by fire and rescue services are set out in 'Dear Chief Officer Letter 3/2004' from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services to all Chief Fire Officers in England and Wales dated 29 March 2004. The following extract from that letter sets out the criteria.
	A. A fire involving:
	A.1 a fatality (including fire service personnel);
	B. A fire or incident which has a significant impact on the general public, including one which:
	B.1 attracts significant public or media interest;
	B.2 involves major disruption to public transport or utilities;
	B.3 involves explosives, or where an explosion causes significant structural damage;
	B.4 involves sources of ionising radiation or other substances which pose significant personal hazards;
	B.5 causes serious contamination or significant environmental impact, including incidents where mass decontamination procedures are initiated; or
	B.6 involves widespread public evacuation (e.g. whole street or area), or large scale evacuation from a venue to which the public resort in large numbers (e.g. a place of sport or entertainment, shopping complex, etc.) or from care premises (e.g. a hospital, nursing home, etc.).
	C. A fire in which abnormally fast or extensive spread of flame, smoke or heat was caused or assisted by:
	C.1 the structure of the building (including linings, voids, or other constructional features); or
	C.2 the systems or plant installed within the building.
	D. A fire in any building where the active and/or passive fire safety arrangements (e.g. means of escape, fire suppression or detection, fire resisting construction, etc.) either:
	D.1 did not fulfil their designed function, resulting in people having to be rescued; or
	D.2 only just fulfilled their designed function, resulting in a significant 'near miss'; or
	D.3 fulfilled their designed function with notable success.
	E. A fire or incident which presents significant operational difficulties, including those:
	E.1 where persons are trapped as a result of building collapse;
	E.2 involving the use of 10 or more jets or large quantities of specialised extinguishing media;
	E.3 associated with significant civil disturbance and/or attacks on firefighters;
	E.4 posing a significantly abnormal risk to fire-fighter safety;
	E.5 involving significantly difficult access;
	E.6 where a deficiency in water supplies is both serious and unexpected;
	E.7 involving serious problems with operational equipment including significant loss of, damage to, or lack of such equipment or resources;
	E.8 where locally determined standards of fire cover are not met because of factors such as other operational incidents, adverse weather or difficult road traffic conditions, resulting in a significant effect on the development of the fire.
	Any notifications received are forwarded from the ODPM Duty Officer to an on-call Inspector from HM Fire Service Inspectorate (HMFSI). The information supplied will be used by HMFSI to identify and monitor trends and provide advice to fire and rescue services. The information will particularly be used to support community fire safety initiatives and to inform the development of risk assessment. It may also be used to provide briefing for Ministers and senior officials, and in the preparation of reports.

Housing

Mark Hoban: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what requirement there is upon local authorities to review the state of the housing market in their area.

Keith Hill: Local authorities are required, under Section 87 Local Government Act 2003 to produce a housing strategy for their area. This needs to be based on a robust analysis of the local housing market(s), in conjunction with neighbouring authorities, where appropriate, housing need in the area and the condition of the stock. New guidance on undertaking analysis of housing markets—the Housing Market Assessment Manual—was issued in February this year.

Housing

Mark Hoban: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance the Government office for the south-east has issued to local authorities concerning local housing markets.

Keith Hill: Government office for the south-east (GOSE) has not issued any specific guidance to Local Authorities concerning assessment of housing markets. The South East England Regional Assembly is currently in the process of commissioning research into identifying the Local Housing Markets of South East England to support the Regional Housing Board in producing future Regional Housing Strategies. GOSE is represented on the steering group for this research, which is expected to report in the late summer.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister also published national guidance on local housing market assessments in February 2004.
	GOSE has also partnered the Regional Assembly in producing further guidance on local housing needs assessment and urban potential. This guidance was published by the Assembly in January 2004.

Housing

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will alter the guidance given to local authorities about preference for high-density housing in order to allow local authorities to follow their own local plans.

Keith Hill: No. Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 "Housing" (March 2000) (PPG3) sets out the national policy for promoting well-designed sustainable housing development that makes the best use of land. Local planning authorities are required, in formulating their policies, to have regard to this guidance. In considering planning applications in the interim, before development plans can be reviewed, local planning authorities should have regard to this guidance as a material consideration, which may supersede the policies in their development plan. As with any national policy, if there are local or regional circumstances, which justify a departure from national policy, these departures should be justified through the development plan process.

Local Government Finance

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimates he has made of the revenue each eligible local authority will receive as a result of the changes to second home discount for council tax.

Nick Raynsford: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Cotswold (Mr. Clifton-Brown) on 28 April 2004, Official Report, column 1134W.

Parliamentary Questions

Graham Brady: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 2 March 2004, Official Report, column 821W, 
	(1)  on the Green Belt, when he will write to the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale West with the information;
	(2)  on greenbelt, when he will write to the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale West giving figures for the reduction of greenbelt area in metropolitan areas.

Keith Hill: I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Planning Advice

Mark Oaten: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much money his Department has allocated in this financial year to provide advice to local communities on planning matters; to which organisations such money has been paid; and how much has been paid to each.

Keith Hill: The Government are providing £3.8 million for Planning Aid in England over a three year period up to 2005–06. The funding will allow Planning Aid to enhance its service, become more proactive and develop a greater role in targeting communities which traditionally do not get involved in the planning system. The funding allocation in this financial year is expected to be £1.454 million.
	Through the Special Grants Programme (SPG) in 2004–05, £40,050 is being provided to the Royal Town Planning Institute to aid the development of mainstream practice in which planners will work with communities to deliver sustainable communities. £58,000 is being provided to the Town and Country Planning Association to improve the science and art of town and country planning—one of the aims of the project is power for people to influence decisions that affect them. £31,550 is being provided to Panning Aid for London, to establish greater cohesion between different racial groups in the community and increase the ability of disempowered groups to encourage successful housing schemes. To date on these three projects, £7,894 has been paid to Planning Aid for London.

Population Movements

Christine Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people moved to the North West from within the UK in (a) June 2003, (b) March 2003, (c) December 2002 and (d) June 2002.

Keith Hill: Information is not available for the particular months requested. It is estimated that during the year to June 2003, 109,500 people moved to the North West from elsewhere in the UK. The corresponding figure for the year to June 2002 was 107,600. These Office for National Statistics estimates are based on information from registrations with doctors.

Population Movements

Christine Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people living in the North West in (a) June 2003, (b) March 2003, (c) December 2002 and (d) June 2002 originated from different areas of the UK.

Keith Hill: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Public Funding (Crosby)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much public funding has been spent in Crosby from the Capital Investment in Housing Fund.

Keith Hill: Funding to local authorities for housing purposes have risen consistently by about 15 per cent. per annum on average. This includes the Major Repairs Allowance we introduced in 2001–2 specifically for the improvement of local authority stock alongside the Decent Homes standard which sets out minimum standards to be met by 2010. Sefton's allocation for 2003–04 was £14.249 million and has been supplemented by the announcement of £86 million to be made available to the Merseyside Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder, NewHeartlands, between 2003–04 and 2005–06.

Public Houses

Donald Anderson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards upward-only rent reviews in contracts between tenants and pub companies.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Welsh Assembly Government have issued a consultation paper entitled: "Commercial property leases: options for deterring or outlawing the use of upward only rent review clauses". A copy has been made available in the Library of the House. The paper acknowledges that upward only rent reviews (UORRs) are a source of grievance to many in the business community. It explores whether any action is necessary, and considers a number of options for legislating against UORRs. The paper invites comments on the merits of each option—by 30 September 2004.

Public Toilets

Vincent Cable: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what steps he takes to monitor the (a) availability and (b) standards of public toilet provision by local authorities for (i) disabled people and (ii) the general population;
	(2)  what guidance is given to local authorities on minimum standards of provision of public toilets for (a) disabled people and (b) the general population.

Phil Hope: The Office of Deputy Prime Minister does not monitor, or provide guidance to, local authorities specifically on the provision, availability or standard of public toilets. Local authorities operate under Best Value duties in respect of all of their functions and must comply with the relevant requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.

Social Housing

Harry Cohen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what provisions are being made to increase the amount of affordable and quality housing in (a) Leyton and Wanstead, (b) the London borough of Redbridge and (c) the London borough of Waltham Forest.

Keith Hill: The housing capital allocations to social and key worker schemes in the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme for support to new supply and regeneration schemes in 2004–05 and 2005–06 for the London borough of Redbridge and the London borough of Waltham Forest are as follows:
	
		
			  Social housing grant (£ million) Homes 
		
		
			 LB Redbridge 14.017 337 
			 LB Waltham Forest 14.996 273 
		
	
	Information at constituency level is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Housing

Harry Cohen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what weighting he expects (a) a planning authority and (b) a planning inspector to give to (i) environmental protection of land where this is supported by the local community and (ii) the designated use in an agreed statutory district plan of a piece of land where such use is contrary to an application for speculative housing development; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: Each application is determined with reference to the local authority's development plan for the area and, where appropriate, to any other material considerations, including guidance such as our Planning Policy Guidance Notes, when assessing the impacts and land-use merits of each proposal.

Social Housing

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with Elevate, the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder, concerning its proposals; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: Officials of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have regular discussions with Elevate on its progress in implementing its market renewal scheme, grant towards which was announced in my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's statement of 26 March 2004, Official Report, column 69WS.

Social Housing

Karen Buck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to encourage progress in delivery of social housing on sites where planning permission has been granted but where building has not yet started.

Keith Hill: There are various incentives in the planning system to bring about the provision of social housing once consent has been granted. First, consents are time limited. Secondly, the local planning authority may ask the developer to execute planning obligations, or it may impose conditions which provide that a specified proportion of the general market housing on the site cannot be occupied until the social housing element has been built and transferred to a registered social landlord (RSL). Finally, the Housing Corporation seeks to engage with RSLs at an early stage in the planning process, so that funding through its Approved Development Programme can be made available, where appropriate.

Staffa Industrial Estate Fire

Harry Cohen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the causes of the recent major fire on the Staffa Industrial Estate in East London; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: The Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade are treating the incident as arson. Investigations are continuing.

Stair Lifts

Mark Oaten: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent Advisory Note he has sent to (a) the Secretary of State for Health and (b) health authorities on the purchase of stair lifts.

Yvette Cooper: Stairlifts in existing dwellings would normally be provided by the local housing authority through a disabled facilities grant. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has not issued any recent advice on the purchase of Stairlifts.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Probation Service

Joyce Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the establishment of the national offender management service.

David Blunkett: We have received over 600 representations on the establishment of the national offender management service. We have received 42 specifically in relation to the structure. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my officials and myself have met a wide range of groups involving Martin Narey seeing over 3,000 members of staff with 18 road shows across the country. I myself have met the TUC, the Prison Officers Association and the representatives of the Probation Union. We believe that with the extension on the consultation not simply to the end of this month, but over the next year as we develop the new structures, we will be able to ensure that there is a consensus of getting this right.

Anti-social Behaviour

Claire Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further measures he proposes to reduce the incidence of antisocial behaviour.

Hazel Blears: We are committed to tackling antisocial behaviour. In 1998 we introduced antisocial behaviour orders through the Crime and Disorder Act. Further to this the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 provides a further wide range of tools to tackle antisocial behaviour. The Act clarifies, streamlines and reinforces the powers available to practitioners and builds on the measures we have already introduced. It offers the single biggest package of measures to tackle antisocial behaviour.
	Further powers to tackle antisocial behaviour in the private rented sector, such as licensing of private sector landlords in areas where there is significant and persistent antisocial behaviour, are being proposed in part 3 of the Housing Bill, currently before Parliament.
	We are determined to remove all barriers to local agencies taking action to tackle antisocial behaviour. We will continue to listen to feedback about the powers available and look to legislate where necessary.

Anti-social Behaviour

Lawrie Quinn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans his Department has to support the gating of alleys to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans his Department has to support the gating of alleys to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Hazel Blears: I will, with permission, Mr. Speaker, group this Question and question 19 together.
	On 5 March 2004 the Home Office launched Operation Gate it—a new fund of £2.3 million to tackle anti-social behaviour in alleyways. Successful schemes for this year have now been identified and will be announced shortly.
	Gating is just one of many solutions to these problems, however, and will not always be appropriate. So, through Gate It, local communities will be able to bid for lighting/landscaping/CCTV funding—as well as gates.

Immigration Service (East Anglia)

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next expects to meet representatives of the immigration service in East Anglia to discuss initiatives to control illegal immigration.

Des Browne: This morning I have met with the Assistant Director of the Immigration Services Eastern Region. I have read the hon. Gentleman's thoughtful contribution to the Second Reading debate on the Gangmasters Bill, in which he correctly identified the issues of concern to the Immigration Service. He is aware that the Immigration Service carried out a series of successful operations in the Kings Lynn area last year and that with the opening of a local office at Swaffham there is now an enhanced enforcement capability in East Anglia.
	I hold regular meetings with the Senior Director of Immigration Service Operations who keeps me informed of initiatives to control illegal immigration into the United Kingdom. I also receive regular reports about a wide range of Immigration Service operations.

Restorative Justice

Harry Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the use of restorative justice.

Paul Goggins: The Government are committed to increasing the use of restorative justice.
	Restorative justice is already widely available within the Youth Justice System and we intend to extend its use as part of the new conditional caution and in community sentences more generally.
	Later in the year we will publish guidance for Local Criminal Justice Boards who want to develop their use of restorative approaches.

Firearms

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans to review firearms legislation.

Caroline Flint: Our consultation paper on firearms controls was published on 12 May. This is the first step in a comprehensive review of current legislation. Consultees have until the end of August to respond and we will consider all responses carefully before deciding what further action may be needed.

Domestic Violence

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to support victims of domestic violence and bring more perpetrators to justice.

Paul Goggins: Domestic violence is a horrific crime, which affects one in four women and causes the death of two women each week.
	The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill, currently before Parliament, is the biggest overhaul of domestic violence legislation for 30 years. It includes a range of measures that will provide additional protection and support for victims and help to bring more perpetrators to justice.

Advisers (Conflicts of Interest)

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he takes to avoid conflicts of interest when advisers from outside the Civil Service are seconded to the Home Office to work on projects; and what restrictions are placed on the abilities of such advisers to participate in the bidding process for contracts arising from that advice.

Fiona Mactaggart: Secondments are part of the Interchange initiative, which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the Civil Service and other organisations—public, private and voluntary. Interchange provides opportunities for civil servants to learn new skills, widen their experience and develop ideas. It also brings in skills and experience from other sectors.
	When advisers from outside the Civil Service are seconded into the Home Office to work on projects, they are informed in the secondment contract that they will be subject to the Official Secrets Act and will be expected to abide by the conditions and rules governing the conduct of civil servants. In particular, they are informed that they will need to avoid situations that may lead to conflicts of interest. The secondment contract, which is drawn up between the secondee, the seconding organisation and the Home Office, also states that the secondee shall keep all commercially confidential information secure and shall not release any commercially confidential information to parties outside the Home Office—including the seconding organisation—without its written approval, instruction or request.
	The Home Office recognises that ethical behaviour in tendering for contracts is of the utmost importance, because the activities may involve the spending of public funds and are subject to close scrutiny. It is imperative that the integrity of the department as a whole should be maintained. Accordingly, the Home Office does not allow secondees to take part in any bidding processes that involve the organisation from which they are seconded.

Amsterdam Treaty Protocols

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on which occasions the United Kingdom has used the protocols attached to the Amsterdam Treaty not to participate in a proposal from the European Commission or a member state concerning asylum, immigration or border controls.

Des Browne: Under the Protocol on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland, agreed at the Amsterdam Inter-Governmental Conference and annexed to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, the UK does not take part in any measure under Title IV of the treaty establishing the European Community (visa, asylum, immigration) unless it notifies the Council, in writing, of its intention to participate (opt-in).
	The policy of the United Kingdom towards participating in measures under Title is to review each proposed measure individually and to opt in when it is in the interests of the UK to do so. In a reply to a written question from the right hon. gentleman, the Member for Penrith and the Borders (David Maclean) on 12 March 1999, my right hon. friend the Home Secretary confirmed his statement that day at the Justice and Home Affairs Council that, while we would maintain our frontier controls in line with the Amsterdam Treaty Protocol, we wished to co-operate in all other Justice and Home Affairs areas which did not conflict with this objective. In relation to Title IV, my right hon. friend the Home Secretary highlighted areas in which the UK would look to participate as asylum and civil judicial co-operation measures and measures to control illegal immigration where these did not conflict with maintenance of national immigration controls. In accordance with these stated principles, the UK has not, to date, notified its intention to participate in a number of EU proposals, a list of which will be placed in the Library.

Asylum Seekers

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refugees have been granted asylum in the UK (a) including dependants and (b) excluding dependants in each year since 1979.

Des Browne: holding answer 8 June 2004
	The tables show the total number of asylum seekers, including and excluding dependants, granted asylum in the United Kingdom, 1979–2003. Information on initial decision outcomes, broken down by nationality, is published in the quarterly web pages and in the Home Office annual statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom". Copies of these publications are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	
		Applications(15) received for asylum in the United Kingdom, and initial decisions, including dependants(16) 1979 to 2003
		
			  Total initial decisions Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum(17) Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave Not recognised as a refugee but granted discretionary leave(18) 
		
		
			 1979 949 525 215 (22)— 
			 1980 1,797 1,147 238 (22)— 
			 1981 2,358 1,473 278 (22)— 
			 1982 2,942 1,727 311 (22)— 
			 1983 2,950 1,185 939 (22)— 
			 1984 2,011 689 802 (22)— 
			 1985 3,802 915 2,156 (22)— 
			 1986 4,045 543 2,815 (22)— 
			 1987 3,479 464 2,229 (22)— 
			 1988 3,888 975 2,289 (22)— 
			 1989 10,270 3,335 5,840 (22)— 
			 1990 6,055 1,590 3,610 (22)— 
			 1991 9,140 800 2,950 (22)— 
			 1992 59,050 1,900 21,680 (22)— 
			 1993 36,890 2,860 15,480 (22)— 
			 1994 27,755 1,395 5,445 (22)— 
			 1995 35,195 2,200 6,780 (22)— 
			 1996 49,350 3,660 7,510 (22)— 
			 1997 48,530 6,210 4,740 (22)— 
			 1998 42,905 8,245 6,455 (22)— 
			 1999 45,850 10,405 4,640 (22)— 
			 2000 132,925 12,135 12,645 (22)— 
			 2001(23) 155,900 14,755 26,025 (22)— 
			 2002(15) 0 103,450 10,990 22,470 (22)— 
			 2003(15) 0 80,960 5,225 5,120 3,275 
		
	
	
		
			  Not recognised as a refugee but granted humanitarian protection(18) Refused asylum and exceptional leave Granted exceptional leave under backlog criteria5,6 Refused on non-compliance grounds under backlog criteria5,7 
		
		
			 1979 (22)— 209 (22)— (22)— 
			 1980 (22)— 412 (22)— (22)— 
			 1981 (22)— 607 (22)— (22)— 
			 1982 (22)— 904 (22)— (22)— 
			 1983 (22)— 826 (22)— (22)— 
			 1984 (22)— 520 (22)— (22)— 
			 1985 (22)— 731 (22)— (22)— 
			 1986 (22)— 687 (22)— (22)— 
			 1987 (22)— 786 (22)— (22)— 
			 1988 (22)— 624 (22)— (22)— 
			 1989 (22)— 1,095 (22)— (22)— 
			 1990 (22)— 855 (22)— (22)— 
			 1991 (22)— 5,390 (22)— (22)— 
			 1992 (22)— 35,480 (22)— (22)— 
			 1993 (22)— 18,550 (22)— (22)— 
			 1994 (22)— 20,915 (22)— (22)— 
			 1995 (22)— 26,220 (22)— (22)— 
			 1996 (22)— 38,180 (22)— (22)— 
			 1997 (22)— 37,585 (22)— (22)— 
			 1998 (22)— 28,205 (22)— (22)— 
			 1999 (22)— 13,915 15,195 1,690 
			 2000 (22)— 92,330 14,045 1,775 
			 2001(23) (22)— 115,120 (22)— (22)— 
			 2002(15) 0 (22)— 69,990 (22)— (22)— 
			 2003(15) 0 175 67,165 (22)— (22)— 
		
	
	(15) Figures from 1989 onwards are rounded to the nearest five.
	(16) From 1992 to 2001 figures are estimated. Including dependants who applied with the principal applicant and those who arrived subsequently but before the principal application was decided. Figures for 2002 are based on actual data and therefore rounded to the nearest five. Previous dependants applications figures rounded
	nearest 100 due to being an estimation.
	(17) Excluding South East Asian refugees (pre 1996 only).
	(18) Discretionary Leave and Humanitarian Protection replaced Exceptional Leave to Remain from 1 April 2003.
	(19) Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog.
	(20) Includes cases where asylum or exceptional leave has been granted under the backlog criteria.
	(21) Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
	(22) Not applicable
	(23) Revised figures.
	(24) 0 Provisional figures.
	
		Applications(25) received for asylum in the United Kingdom, and initial decisions, excluding dependants 1979 to 2003
		
			  Total initial decisions Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum(26) Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave Not recognised as a refugee but granted discretionary leave(27) 
		
		
			 1979 (31)— (31)— (31)— (32)— 
			 1980 (31)— (31)— (31)— (32)— 
			 1981 (31)— (31)— (31)— (32)— 
			 1982 (31)— (31)— (31)— (32)— 
			 1983 (31)— (31)— (31)— (32)— 
			 1984 1,431 453 631 (32)— 
			 1985 2,635 574 1,559 (32)— 
			 1986 2,983 348 2,102 (32)— 
			 1987 2,432 266 1,531 (32)— 
			 1988 2,702 628 1,578 (32)— 
			 1989 6,955 2,210 3,860 (32)— 
			 1990 4,025 920 2,400 (32)— 
			 1991 6,075 505 2,190 (32)— 
			 1992 34,900 1,115 15,325 (32)— 
			 1993 23,405 1,590 11,125 (32)— 
			 1994 20,990 825 3,660 (32)— 
			 1995 27,005 1,295 4,410 (32)— 
			 1996 38,960 2,240 5,055 (32)— 
			 1997 36,045 3,985 3,115 (32)— 
			 1998 31,570 5,345 3,910 (32)— 
			 1999 33,720 7,815 2,465 (32)— 
			 2000 109,205 10,375 11,495 (32)— 
			 2001(33) 120,950 11,450 20,190 (32)— 
			 2002(25) 0 83,540 8,270 20,135 (32)— 
			 2003(25) 0 64,605 3,880 3,970 3,105 
		
	
	
		
			  Not recognised as a refugee but granted humanitarian protection(27) Refused asylum and exceptional leave Granted exceptional leave under backlog criteria4,5 Refused on non-compliance grounds under backlog criteria4,6 
		
		
			 1979 (32)— (31)— (32)— (32)— 
			 1980 (32)— (31)— (32)— (32)— 
			 1981 (32)— (31)— (32)— (32)— 
			 1982 (32)— (31)— (32)— (32)— 
			 1983 (32)— (31)— (32)— (32)— 
			 1984 (32)— 347 (32)— (32)— 
			 1985 (32)— 502 (32)— (32)— 
			 1986 (32)— 533 (32)— (32)— 
			 1987 (32)— 635 (32)— (32)— 
			 1988 (32)— 496 (32)— (32)— 
			 1989 (32)— 890 (32)— (32)— 
			 1990 (32)— 705 (32)— (32)— 
			 1991 (32)— 3,380 (32)— (32)— 
			 1992 (32)— 18,465 (32)— (32)— 
			 1993 (32)— 10,690 (32)— (32)— 
			 1994 (32)— 16,500 (32)— (32)— 
			 1995 (32)— 21,300 (32)— (32)— 
			 1996 (32)— 31,670 (32)— (32)— 
			 1997 (32)— 28,945 (32)— (32)— 
			 1998 (32)— 22,315 (32)— (32)— 
			 1999 (32)— 11,025 11,140 1,275 
			 2000 (32)— 75,680 10,325 1,335 
			 2001(33) (32)— 89,310 (32)— (32)— 
			 2002(25) 0 (32)— 55,130 (32)— (32)— 
			 2003(25) 0 135 53,510 (32)— (32)— 
		
	
	(25) Figures from 1989 onwards are rounded to the nearest five.
	(26) Excluding South East Asian refugees (pre 1996 only).
	(27) Discretionary Leave and Humanitarian Protection replaced Exceptional Leave to Remain from 1 April 2003.
	(28) Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog.
	(29) Includes cases where asylum or exceptional leave has been granted under the backlog criteria.
	(30) Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
	(31) Not available.
	(32) Not applicable.
	(33) Revised figures.
	(34) 0 Provisional figures.

Asylum Seekers

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what criteria he judges a country to be unsafe to return failed asylum seekers to.

Des Browne: All asylum claims are considered on their individual merits in accordance with the United Kingdom's obligations under the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. Those asylum seekers who establish that their claim meets the criteria of the 1951 Convention are granted asylum. If asylum is refused, we will go on to consider whether humanitarian protection or discretionary leave should be granted in accordance with our obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.
	In considering claims the Home Office takes full account of up to date information from a wide range of sources about the situation in the country of origin. These sources include intergovernmental organisations (such as the UN), governmental sources (including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) and human rights organisations (for example Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch).
	If an individual is unsuccessful in his application and in any appeal they make to the independent Immigration Appellate Authority we consider that it is safe for that individual to be removed.
	The only country to which, as a matter of policy, we do not at present generally enforce the return of failed asylum seekers is Zimbabwe. This policy is not based on asylum or human rights reasons but on our view that in the wider context of the Government's position on Zimbabwe, it would be inappropriate to return forcibly failed asylum seekers at this time.

Asylum Seekers

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of asylum applicants claimed asylum in the UK (a) at Dover, (b) at other UK seaports, (c) at Heathrow Airport, (d) at Gatwick Airport, (e) at other UK airports, (f) in-country within 14 days of arrival and (g) in-country over 14 days of arrival in (i) 2002 and (ii) 2003.

Des Browne: holding answer 27 May 2004
	The requested information is unavailable and could be produced only at disproportionate cost. Data on asylum applications is collated on when the application is made, and not on when applicants arrive in the UK. For applicants entering clandestinely or through legitimate legal entry routes and applying in country, their date of arrival is not necessarily recorded on entry and they are not at that point identifiable as a future asylum seeker. The table shows asylum applications to the United Kingdom by port and in country.
	
		Applications(35) received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 2002–03
		
			 2002 2 2003 2 
			 Total applications Applied at port Applied in country Total applications Applied at port Applied in country 
		
		
			 84,130 26,560 57,570 49,370 13,810 35,560 
		
	
	(35) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.
	(36) Provisional figures.
	Information on asylum applications is published in quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin 'Asylum Statistics United Kingdom'. Copies of these publications and others relating to general immigration to the UK are available from the Library and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum Seekers

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate how many asylum seekers who have been refused leave to remain and exhausted all appeal rights have not departed from the UK.

Des Browne: Information on the number of asylum seekers who have exhausted their rights of appeal is not readily available and could be obtained only by examination of individual case files to obtain information on the final outcomes from each tier of the appeal process. This would incur disproportionate cost. No information on the number of unsuccessful asylum seekers awaiting removal is available, partly because some applicants may leave the United Kingdom without informing the Immigration Service.
	The Government have commissioned research into the methods used in other countries to estimate the overall size of the illegal population including failed asylum seekers, in order to define methods appropriate for the UK.

Asylum Support

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been in receipt of National Asylum Support Service support in each year since its inception.

Des Browne: holding answer 8 June 2004
	The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) assumed responsibility for the support of asylum seekers on 3 April 2000. The following table shows the number of asylum seekers (including dependants) that have been in receipt of National Asylum Support Service support as at the end of each year since its inception. Information in respect of the number of persons supported by NASS during a given year is not available.
	Information on the number of asylum seekers supported by NASS is published in the quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom, available from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	
		Asylum seekers supported by NASS 1,2 by type of support
		
			 As at the end In receipt of subsistence only support Supported in NASS accommodation 
		
		
			 December 2000 8,870 13,530 
			 December 2001 25,310 40,325 
			 December 2002 37,815 54,045 
			 December 2003 30,360 49,760 
			 March 2004 (Quarter 1, 2004) 27,635 48,610 
		
	
	(37) Including dependants.
	(38) All figures are rounded to the nearest 5.

Becket House Reporting Centre, Bermondsey

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what compensation for costs of travel will be available to reportees living in Thurrock consequent on the decision to require them to report at Beckett House, Bermondsey; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: In my answer to the Member for Thurrock's separate but related question (177749), I have clarified that the requirement on people living in Thurrock to report to Becket House was an administrative error, which has now been rectified. In view of this, the issue of compensating them for costs of travel to Becket House does not arise.

Commission for Racial Equality

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make a decision on the grant aid to be given to the Commission for Racial Equality.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office formally delegated the Commission for Racial Equality's budget for 2004–05 on 28 April 2004.

Computer File Formats

Richard Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's policy is in respect of the computer file formats used for the (a) distribution and (b) archiving of publicly available documents.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office is keen to ensure that published documents are fully accessible to all members of the public who wish to use them. We make use of standard electronic formats that should meet the requirements of most document users.
	(a) Distribution
	The computer files and formats used for the distribution of Home Office material are Word/ Excel based documents, which are standard and widely compatible both internally and with external suppliers.
	(b) Archiving
	Material placed on the web site for access by the public is at present stored in mixture of Portable Document Format (PDF) and Hypertext Mark Up Language (HTML). The Home Office Communication Directorate is actively considering the benefits of storage of future material in Extensible Mark-Up Language (XML).

CPS

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the extent of his responsibility for the Crown Prosecution Service.

Harriet Harman: I have been asked to reply.
	The Director of Public Prosecutions is the head of the Crown Prosecution Service and he discharges his functions under the superintendence of the Attorney-General.

Credit Card Purchases

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of individuals who have had their credit card facilities withdrawn by the issuing bank after court convictions for using the card to purchase child pornography images.

Paul Goggins: A consideration as to whether an individual has their credit card facilities withdrawn by an issuing bank or other card supplier following a conviction for an offence relating to the purchase of child abuse images is a matter for each individual card issuer to decide, dependent upon the terms and conditions associated with the card. There is no centrally held record of the number of instances of such an action taking place.
	Government, the credit card industry, and law enforcement are actively considering what action can be taken in respect of individuals convicted of an offence which has involved the purchase of child abuse images using any payment mechanisms. More widely work remains ongoing to proactively identifying sites selling child abuse images, seeking the removal of payment facilities from these sites and appropriate action taken by law enforcement.

Credit Card Purchases

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the credit card industry about action to prevent the use of credit card facilities to fund the purchase of (a) child pornography images and (b) illegal websites.

Paul Goggins: Extensive work has been undertaken on the issue of preventing credit cards and other payment mechanisms from being used to purchase child abuse images online. The Association of Payment Clearing Services (APACS), the UK Trade Association for Payments, the Internet Watch Foundation, and the Children's Charities' Coalition for Internet Safety, have all worked actively to prevent such activity and have developed close working relationships over the last few years. This resulted in a joint announcement by them in March 2003.
	The arrangements now in place have made it possible for law enforcement agencies to become more effective in investigating detecting and taking action against those sites that use specific payment services to sell child abuse images. The relevant card companies will also seek to trace the banks and the billing companies involved in processing payments and to cease the use of their cards for such activity. Units such as the National Hi Tech Crime Unit through their industry outreach programme, have been particularly successful in working closely with industry on intelligence and target hardening to design out hi-tech crime.
	It is clear that co-ordinated action by the major credit card schemes in conjunction with other relevant organisations can have a major impact on the commercial trade in child abuse images. We welcome the efforts that have been made so far and will continue to work with them to make this as effective as possible, involving as many different payment mechanisms as is possible.
	While much of the focus of preventing the use of credit cards to facilitate illegal activities has to date focused on their association with child abuse images, work has also been undertaken to prevent credit cards and other payment mechanisms from being used to prevent a wider range of illegal activities on line.

Gender Pay Gap

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the pay gap between men and women employed by his Department and its agencies in (a) Southampton, (b) Eastleigh, (c) Winchester and (d) Romsey.

Fiona Mactaggart: None. The Department has undertaken a number of equal pay reviews, but data have not been analysed by individual locations.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Stephen Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to return the passports belonging to Mrs. Maliheh Sadeghi Boroujerdi and Mr. Mohsen Dastmaldi, which were sent to the Directorate on 4 July 2003.

Des Browne: holding answer 10 June 2004
	The passports of Mrs. Maliheh Sadeghi Boroujerdi and Mr. Mohsen Dastmaldi were returned to their legal representatives, Halliday Reeves Solicitors, on 8 June.

Iraq Refugees

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals from Iraq have been refused refugee status and other forms of protection in each month this year; and what their current status is.

Des Browne: Information of numbers of initial decisions and refusals of Iraqi principal applicants, and on numbers of appeals determined at the IAA and dismissed, for each month of 2003, are given in the tables. Appeals figures do not necessarily relate to initial decisions made in the same period.
	
		Initial decisions on asylum applications1,2 received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 2003 by month, nationals of Iraq -- Principal applicants
		
			  Total decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Grants of HP Grants of DL Total refusals(41) 
		
		
			 January 1,370 30 1,030 n/a n/a 305 
			 February 990 30 685 n/a n/a 280 
			 March 585 5 390 n/a n/a 185 
			 April 30 * n/a — — 30 
			 May 55 * n/a * — 50 
			 June 250 — n/a — * 250 
			 July 650 — n/a — * 650 
			 August 515 * n/a — 10 505 
			 September 625 — n/a — 5 620 
			 October 675 — n/a — 10 670 
			 November 530 — n/a — 10 520 
			 December 475 * n/a * 10 465 
			 Total 6,755 75 2,105 * 45 4,530 
		
	
	(39) Provisional figures rounded to nearest 5, with * = 1 or 2.
	(40) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
	(41) May include some refusals under non compliance grounds.
	Note:
	N/a=not applicable.
	
		Outcome of appeals1,2 determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority, excluding dependants, nationals of Iraq, 2003, by month -- Number of principal appellants
		
			   Appeals determined by adjudicators(43) 
			   Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn 
			  Total Total As % of determined Total As % of determined Total As % of determined 
		
		
			 January 445 110 25% 295 66% 40 9% 
			 February 440 90 20% 300 68% 50 12% 
			 March 465 85 18% 315 67% 70 15% 
			 April 150 30 21% 110 72% 10 7% 
			 May 40 10 21% 25 67% 5 13% 
			 June 15 * 17% 5 42% 5 42% 
			 July 220 10 3% 165 75% 50 22% 
			 August 485 20 4% 415 86% 45 9% 
			 September 515 25 5% 460 89% 35 7% 
			 October 810 35 5% 705 87% 65 8% 
			 November 1,000 55 5% 900 90% 45 4% 
			 December 810 25 3% 760 94% 25 3% 
			 Total 5,400 495 9% 4,465 83% 445 8% 
		
	
	(42) Provisional figures rounded to nearest 5 (except percentages), with *=1 or 2. Figures may not add up due to independent rounding. Data on appeal outcomes by nationality in this table are derived from Immigration and Nationality Directorate electronic sources.
	(43) igures include cases withdrawn by the Home Office, as well as the appellant.
	The current status of Iraqi asylum seekers, who were refused refugee status and other forms of protection in the UK in 2003, will depend on whether they have appealed against this decision, and if so what the outcome of the appeal was. If all appeal rights have been exhausted and no leave of any kind has been granted, these individuals will have no basis on which to remain in the United Kingdom and will be expected to return to Iraq.
	Information on asylum applications, initial decisions and appeals, by nationality, is published in quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom. The next quarter will be published at the end of August 2004. Copies of these publications and others relating to general immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www. homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Ministerial Visits

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many journeys were made by helicopter by each Minister in his Department in each of the last 10 years; and what the journey length was in each case.

David Blunkett: In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These reports contain information reaching back to 1995–96. Information for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and in some cases will no longer be held. Information for 2003–04 will be published in due course.
	Detailed information for all Ministers in respect of UK travel is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

National Neighbourhood Watch Association

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what future funding he plans to provide to the National Neighbourhood Watch Association; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The National Neighbourhood Watch Association is an independent organisation funded by commercial sponsorship since its inception.
	Nevertheless, in 2002–03 the Government gave a total of £350,000 to support it through financial difficulties. Following a recent audit my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary decided that no further public funding should be provided.
	The Government will continue to support local Neighbourhood Watch. This support includes free publications and training materials, and staff time.

National Asylum Support Service

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement regarding the operation of the National Asylum Support Service scheme in Scotland.

Des Browne: The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) scheme works very well in Scotland. As at the end of March 2004 there were over 5,000 asylum seekers and dependants in NASS dispersal accommodation in Glasgow. The NASS regional office in Glasgow has 35 staff performing outreach, investigations and housing management functions, and playing a key role in working with Scottish stakeholders.

National Identity Register

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what data sharing arrangements there will be between the proposed National Identity Register and the UK Population Register.

Des Browne: "Legislation on Identity Cards—A Consultation" (Cm 6178), makes clear that there will be no general power to share data held on the National Identity Register. Applications for one of the family of identity cards will require checks to be made against other databases only to establish that an application for a card, or related purpose such as reissue, is genuine. Such checks might include a Population Register developed under the Citizen's Information Project, were that to go ahead and subject to enabling legislation. We will also consider whether any changes to an individual's name and address details within the National Identity Register might be supplied through the Population Register.

National Identity Register

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many consultants have been seconded to his Department to work on identity cards; and at what expense.

Des Browne: holding answer 27 May 2004
	During 2003–04 two consultants were seconded to the Identity Cards Programme for part of the year. Total spending on seconded consultants that year was £75,569.

New Hall Prison

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many suicides there were in New Hall women's prison in each of the past three years;
	(2)  how many incidents of self harm occurred in New Hall women's prison in each of the last three months.

Paul Goggins: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 8 June 2004, Official Report, column 327W.

Official Vehicles

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of official vehicles used by his Department are run on (a) petrol, (b) diesel, (c) liquid petroleum gas and (d) compressed natural gas.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government as a whole have signed up to various targets for improving the performance of their own vehicle fleets, details of which are available at: www.sustainable-development.gov.uk
	The following table provides a breakdown of the cars currently in the directly managed Home Office fleet by vehicle category, fuel type and emission performance. This does not include information for vehicles provided for use by Ministers and senior officials by the Government Car Service (GCS). Detailed information on the breakdown of the GCS fleet is being provided by its Chief Executive, Mr. Nick Matheson. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
	
		
			 Cars Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Petrol 101 7 
			 Diesel 1,260 92 
			 Liquid Petroleum Gas 8 1 
			 Total 1,369 100

Older People

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what (a) initiatives, (b) campaigns and (c) advisory bodies relating to older people his Department (i) is responsible and (ii) has provided funding since 2001; and what the cost in each year was for each one.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office is involved in a number of campaigns and initiatives relating to older people.
	Older people are the most likely targets of 'distraction burglary' i.e. burglary committed by bogus callers. In October 2001, the "Good Practice Guide on Tackling Distraction Burglary" was published alongside two videos and supporting literature, which continue to be used today. The cost of this was in the region of £127,000. To support this:
	practitioner seminars have been run across the regions and a newsletter providing updates and advice is circulated at a cost of £5,000 per year;
	a new mini website dedicated to distraction burglary has been developed to sit within the Department's crime reduction website; and
	this comes at the same time as a new media campaign to raise awareness of distraction burglary at a cost of £77,000.
	The Department supports the charity Help the Aged:
	it has contributed over £60,000 to Help the Aged for Rural Development since 2001;
	departmental representatives have attended, spoken at and hosted seminars in the Help the Aged Senior Safety conference programme since 2002 (travel and subsistence costs only); and
	the Department is about to launch, through Help the Aged, a three-month pilot of 'reassurance cards' to advise older people about home security at a cost of £2,000.
	It was recently announced that World War II veterans and civilians over the age of 75 would be eligible for a free 10-year passport. By 19 May, almost 500 free passports had been issued, the majority to veterans of the Normandy landings. The standard passport currently costs £42.
	Over this period, the Active Community Unit has strategically funded three organisations specifically to involve older people in volunteering:
	The Experience Corps was established in 2001 and received £5.5 million, £7 million, and £7 million over the three years of the initiative, this funding ended March 2004;
	(RSVP, retired and senior volunteer programme), received £130,000 per year over the past three years, 2003–04 and will receive £133,250 this year; and
	REACH received £85,000 per year over the past three years, 2001–04 and will receive £87,125 this year.
	Project funding of £55,000 per year for three years beginning March 2001 was given to Help and Care, an organisation that supports and encourages older people's role as active citizens within their communities. This came to an end in March 2004.
	The Active Community Unit has also contributed funding of £50,000 to the Better Government for Older People Network. This consisted of £20,000 revenue funding in February 2002 and £30,000 capital funding in January 2003.
	In April 2004, the Home Office announced that they were going to invest £600,000 over two years to develop a national co-ordinating body for older volunteers.
	And finally, during the four years 1999–2003, the Home Office Older Volunteers Initiative provided funding of £1.476 million to 26 projects aimed at improving the number and quality of the opportunities for people aged 50 or over to volunteer and involve themselves in the community.

Overseas Students

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of students admitted to the UK since 1979 have (a) completed their studies, (b) returned to their home country and (c) had their visa extended, broken down by nationality.

Des Browne: holding answer 8 June 2004
	I regret that the information requested is not available.
	We are currently considering a number of ways in which we could address this information gap for future years.
	Data on passengers given leave to enter or further leave to remain in the United Kingdom as students by nationality are published in the Command Paper 'Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom' 1 . These data however, relate to the number of journeys/decisions; a person making more than one journey/application for an extension of leave to remain may be counted on each occasion.
	1 Obtainable from the Library of the House, and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/commandpubsl.html. The latest edition is that for 2002 (Cm6053).

Paper Recycling

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of copying paper used by his Department in 2002–03 was from recycled sources; and how much post-consumer waste this paper contained.

Fiona Mactaggart: The percentage of copying paper used by the Department in 2002–03 from recycled sources was 41.54 per cent.
	The post-consumer waste content of the paper was unknown by the supplier as they were unable to provide detail of the wood fibre in the product. The recycled content of the paper is described as unspecified.

Paper Recycling

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department expects to implement in full the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that (a) all copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content and (b) all paper for printed publications bought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled, of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post-consumer waste.

Fiona Mactaggart: The quick wins targets were introduced on 1 November 2003 by the inter-departmental Sustainable Procurement Group. From this date all Government Department's contracts were expected to apply the minimum environmental standards when purchasing certain types of product and services including paper.
	It has been recommended that the purchase of recycled paper products is phased in over a period of time and targets will be developed as part of the "Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate". The Home Office will work with its current suppliers in order to meet these targets once they are published.
	The Department's current three-year stationery contract to supply paper and paper products as well as other stationery products was awarded prior to 1 November, in September 2003. This followed a competitive tender exercise in line with Home Office policy that the procurement of goods and services is based on value for money principles. The provision of recycled paper is part of the agreed contract with Guilbert UK.
	In June 2002 the Home Office mandated all offices within the Department to use A4 recycled paper which has an 80 per cent. unspecified recycled paper content in photocopiers, fax machines and printers, unless technical reasons precluded them from using this paper. The Prison Service mandated the use of the same A4 recycled paper from September 2003 and expect the use of A3 recycled paper to become mandatory from September 2004 if current trials prove successful.
	The Home Office makes use of various stocks of paper/board in our publications. Most of our internal facing material is printed on recycled paper and all of these are at least 60 per cent. recycled with a content of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste.
	The majority of our external facing work is printed on totally chlorine free paper/board. Although this is not made from recycled pulp, this is 'environmentally friendly' because the pulp is bleached without the use of chlorine chemicals.

Paper Recycling

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the Department's main suppliers of (a) copier paper, (b) stationery, (c) envelopes and (d) paper for reports, in each case stating (i) the name of each paper used and (ii) the recycled and post-consumer recycled content of each paper.

Fiona Mactaggart: The contract to supply paper and paper products to the Home Department is held by the company Guilbert UK. In addition to the aforementioned contract the Prison Service also hold a contract with James MacNaughton Paper Group Limited to supply paper and paper products to Prison Service Enterprise and Supply Services Internal Industries.
	Guilbert provide a wide range of stationery products to the Home Office and to provide details of every paper and paper product supplied would incur disproportionate costs.
	I am however able to provide details of the top ten paper and paper products purchased from Guilbert UK by brand name and where available the recycled and post consumer recycled content of each paper in the categories requested as follows:
	
		Percentage
		
			 Name of paper used Recycled content (unspecified) Recycled content (post-consumer waste) Recycled content (pre-consumer waste) 
		
		
			 (a) Copier paper 
			 Environmental 3500 Recycled Paper A4 80gsm 80 0 0 
			 Niceday 3000 Laser Copier A4 80 White 0 0 0 
			 Niceday 6000 A4 80 gsm White 0 0 0 
			 Niceday LaserJet Paper A4 80g HE 5 0 0 
			 Niceday Laser Copier A3 80g White Not available Not available Not available 
			 XxPremier Copier 5500 A4 80g White Not available Not available Not available 
			 Niceday Office Paper A5 80 gsm White 0 0 0 
			 XxPremier Copier 5500 A3 80g White Not available Not available Not available 
			 Niceday 4000 Paper A3 80 gsm White 0 0 0 
			 Niceday Pastel Tinted Paper Pale Yellow 0 0 0 
			 
			 (b) Stationery
			 N2 Divider A4 10Part Colour Tabs 0 0 100 
			 N2 Divider A4 5Part Colour Tab 0 0 100 
			 Environmental Divider A4 10Part Colour Tabs 0 0 100 
			 Niceday Notes 3x3 Yellow 0 0 0 
			 Niceday Diary A5 2 w/t/v Black 2004 30 0 0 
			 N2 Divider A4 10Part Extra Wide 0 0 100 
			 N2 Manuscript Book A4 96LF 20 0 0 
			 Environmental Divider A4 5Part colour Tab 0 0 100 
			 EDAY Diary A4 1 D/T/P Black 2004 15 0 0 
			 Niceday Diary A5 1 W/T/V Burgundy 2004 30 0 0 
			 (c) Envelopes 
			 Niceday Envelope 114x162 90 Self Seal White Not available — — 
			 Niceday Envelope 11 0x220 90 Self Seal White 0 0 0 
			 Environmental Envelope 324x229 90 Self seal Buff 0 85 0 
			 Niceday Envelope 324x229115 Self Seal Manila 0 85 0 
			 Environmental Envelope 229x162 90 Self Seal Buff 0 85 0 
			 Environmental Envelope 254x178 90 Manila 0 85 0 
			 Niceday C4 Envelope 324x299115 gsm Manila Not Available — — 
			 Environmental Envelope 324x229 90g Self Seal Buff 0 85 0 
			 Environmental Envelope C5 229x162mm Manila Gummed 90gsm Not Available — — 
			 Environmental Envelope C4 324x229mm Manila Gummed 90g Not Available — — 
			 
			 (d) Paper for reports 
			 Niceday Duplicator Blue A4 80gsm 0 10 90 
			 Niceday Duplicator Yellow A4 80gsm 0 10 90 
			 Niceday 11x14.5 1PT 70g Pain Laser 0 0 0 
			 HP Premium Plus Photo Paper A4 C6832A Not available — — 
			 Niceday 11x9.5 1PT 70g Plain Micro Vertical Perforations 0 0 0 
			 Niceday 11x14.5 1PT 60g Plain 0 0 0 
			 Niceday Duplicator A4 80g White 0 10 90 
			 Nicely 11x9.5 1PT 60g Plain Micro Vertical Perforations 0 0 0 
			 Niceday Duplicator Green A4 80gsm 0 10 90 
			 Niceday 11x14.5 1PT 60g Music Ruled 0 0 0 
		
	
	Details of the top ten paper and paper products purchased from James MacNaughton Paper Group Limited by brand name and where available the recycled and post consumer recycled content for copier paper is as follows:
	
		
			 Name of paper used Recycled content (unspecified) Recycled content (post-consumer waste) Recycled content (pre-consumer waste) 
		
		
			 Challenger T/Pulp No No No 
			 HMP Offset No No No 
			 HM Manila Yes No 80% 
			 Reacto No No No 
			 Prosp/Kingstn No No No 
			 Challenger Velvet No No No 
			 Reflex No No No 
			 Challenger W/Pulp No No No 
			 Supercol No No No 
			 Greybd Yes 100% No

Seaports/Airports

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed at UK seaports and airports from (a) the Immigration Service and (b) Special Branch in each of the last five years.

Des Browne: The information is as follows:
	(a) The table sets out the number of full-time equivalent immigration officials employed at seaports and airports, as at 1 January for the last five years.
	
		
			  Immigration staff 
		
		
			 1999 2082.4 
			 2000 2124.5 
			 2001 2266.9 
			 2002 2609 
			 2003 3202.94 
			 2004 3176.4 
		
	
	As at 1 June 2004, the UK Immigration Service had posted a further 181 immigration officials and an additional 20 were in training.
	(b) The deployment of Special Branch officers at ports within the UK is a decision for the Chief Constable of the policing area concerned after consultation with the National Co-ordinator of Ports Policing. However, it is the Home Office view that it is inappropriate to divulge exact numbers as to do so may impact on the overall counter-terrorist strategy.

Seaports/Airports

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to facilitate cooperation between Customs and Excise, the UK Immigration Service, Special Branch and ports police forces at UK seaports and airports.

Des Browne: The Government are committed to ensuring that Her Majesty's Customs and Excise (HMCE), Special Branches and the Immigration Service work together far more effectively. My right hon. Friends, the Home Secretary and the Chancellor have tasked the Director-General of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, the Director-General of HMCE Law Enforcement and representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers to develop more closely aligned objectives and priorities within their individual business plans. The group will report periodically to me and my hon. Friend, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury.

Seaports/Airports

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the designated airports and seaports in the UK.

Des Browne: The ports specified in the Schedule to the Immigration (Ports of Entry) Order 1987 are those designated as ports of entry for the purposes of the Immigration Act 1971.
	They are:
	Seaports and Hoverports
	Dover
	Felixstowe
	Folkestone
	Harwich
	Hull
	London
	Newhaven
	Plymouth
	Portsmouth
	Ramsgate
	Sheerness
	Southampton
	Tyne
	Airports
	Aberdeen
	Belfast
	Birmingham
	Bournemouth (Hurn)
	Bristol
	Cardiff (Wales)
	East Midlands
	Edinburgh
	Gatwick-London
	Glasgow
	Heathrow-London
	Leeds/Bradford
	Liverpool
	Luton
	Manchester
	Newcastle
	Norwich
	Prestwick
	Southampton
	Southend
	Stansted-London
	Teesside

Seasonal Agriculture Workers

Mr. Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people entered the UK under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme in the five years up to 1 May, broken down by nationality.

Des Browne: The latest information is for 1999 to 2003, and is given in the table.
	
		Passengers given leave to enter the United Kingdom as Seasonal Agricultural Workers, by nationality, 1999 to 2003 2 -- United KingdomNumber of journeys
		
			  1999 2000 2001 1 2002 2003 2 
		
		
			 Bulgaria 1,185 1,290 1,100 1,730 1,965 
			 Cyprus 0 (46)— 0 0 (46)— 
			 Czech Republic 270 250 575 520 385 
			 Estonia 115 125 265 305 485 
			 Hungary 95 100 75 100 80 
			 Latvia 290 340 590 985 1,635 
			 Lithuania 1,375 1,255 515 2,090 2,615 
			 Malta 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Other Former USSR 205 420 310 865 1,340 
			 Poland 3,470 3,195 3,760 4,485 6,175 
			 Romania 315 305 125 330 545 
			 Russia 130 215 255 625 1,005 
			 Slovakia 310 365 420 815 845 
			 Switzerland (46)— (46)— (46)— 0 0 
			 Turkey 30 25 45 25 55 
			 Ukraine 1,670 1,835 135 3,640 3,235 
			 Yugoslavia (46)— (46)— (46)— (46)— 5 
			 Croatia (46)— 0 (46)— (46)— (46)— 
			 Slovenia (46)— 5 10 5 0 
			 Other Former Yugoslavia 140 125 55 80 60 
			 Others 150 250 150 310 285 
			 Total 9,760 10,105 8,390 16,910 20,715 
		
	
	(44) Data for 2001 may understate the actual arrivals due to data quality issues in recording the entry of persons under the scheme.
	(45) Provisional and subject to change. The figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
	(46)=1 or 2.

Statistics (London)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) public and (b) charity funds were spent on tackling drugs misuse in Greater London, broken down by borough, in each year since 1997.

Caroline Flint: Following the launch of the National Drug Strategy in 1998 (Revised 2002) ring fenced investment in action to tackle drugs has increased significantly. Central drug specific allocations are supplemented by local mainstream and charitable funding. Information related to mainstream and charitable funding would only be available at local level. It would incur a disproportionate cost in staff time to gather these figures and they would be difficult to verify.
	The following tables contain the specific allocations for 2003–04 for Greater London by Drug Action Team (DAT) area. The first table shows allocations made to the 12 DATs involved in phase one of the Criminal Justice Intervention Programme, the remaining DATs are shown in the second table.
	In order to ensure consistency figures supplied are based on funding streams associated with the National Drug Strategy and are readily verifiable. These funding streams are specifically targeted at tackling the harm caused to individuals, families and communities by the misuse of drugs.
	
		Criminal Justice Intervention Programme—Phase 1 DAT Areas -- £
		
			 Drug Action Team funding 2003–04 Partnership capacity Treatment pooled budget Through care after care Capacity building (CJIP) Building safer communities(47) Young people funding (from HO, DH, DfES, YJB) Total 
		
		
			 Camden 68,164 2,465,512 185,776 550,000 433,752 282,082 4,037,366 
			 Ealing 72,034 2,134,853 153,411 450,000 482,911 310,230 3,665,578 
			 Hackney 68,331 2,749,137 208,537 620,000 477,731 401,866 4,602,486 
			 Haringey 69,246 2,096,310 191,150 550,000 436,722 306,423 3,712,295 
			 Islington 67,701 2,949,923 171,254 500,000 412,195 306,681 4,467,299 
			 Lambeth 70,830 3,266,068 294,591 880,000 608,881 384,130 5,568.538 
			 Newham 69,651 2,984,036 237,809 710,000 482,443 393,991 4,965,540 
			 Southwark 69,601 3,052,379 234,448 700,000 447,767 387,486 4,960,239 
			 Tower Hamlets 67,836 2,731,485 206,476 610,000 401,853 413,798 4,520,560 
			 Waltham Forest 69,262 1,357,159 140,547 420,000 332,903 261,969 2,638,798 
			 Wandsworth 70,857 1,999,794 141,301 420,000 414,147 262,178 3,352,774 
			 Westminster 68,981 3,001,900 135,693 400,000 455,792 218,694 4,323,090 
		
	
	(47) Contains non drug elements
	
		Non Criminal Justice Intervention Programme DAT Areas -- £
		
			 Drug Action Team funding 2003–04 Partnership capacity Treatment pooled budget Through care after care Pump priming Building safer communities(48) Young people funding (from HO, DH, DfES, YJB) Total 
		
		
			 Barking & Dagenham 66,916 1,019,384 35,000 245,907 161,959 1,529,165 
			 Barnet 72,926 1,204,614 35,000 389,058 212,636 1,914,234 
			 Bexley 69,154 758,662 35,000 265,446 138,866 1,267,128 
			 Brent 70,296 1,908,709 35,000 404,467 250,322 2,668,794 
			 Bromley 71,989 901,396 35,000 347,094 175,093 1,530,572 
			 City of London 61,680 23,297 35,000 62,723 2,711 185,411 
			 Croydon 73,328 1,564,559 35,000 438,685 241,222 2,352,794 
			 Enfield 70,843 1,458,415 35,000 379,261 201,615 2,145,133 
			 Greenwich 69,027 1,866,717 35,000 347,594 230,189 2,548,528 
			 Hammersmith & Fulham 67,028 1,615,540 35,000 327,080 175,815 2,220,463 
			 Harrow 68,932 688,939 35,000 245,983 132,187 1,171,041 
			 Havering 69,637 711,231 35,000 255,809 142,922 1,214,599 
			 Hillingdon 70,289 1,038,182 35,000 360,823 159,601 1,663,895 
			 Hounslow 68,883 1,040,920 35,000 347,738 173,358 1,665,899 
			 Kensington & Chelsea 67,279 1,998,700 35,000 304,805 151,136 2,556,920 
			 Kingston upon Thames 66,584 724,847 35,000 162,467 90,786 1,079,684 
			 Lewisham 70,011 2,585,933 35,000 374,235 270,355 3,335,534 
			 Merton 67,963 949,061 35,000 211,023 127,253 1,390,300 
			 Redbridge 69,626 929,313 35,000 340,963 160,093 1,534,995 
			 Richmond upon Thames 67,977 755,700 35,000 199,472 94,704 1,152,853 
			 Sutton 67,719 662,225 35,000 192,886 116,324 1,074,154 
		
	
	(48) Contains non drug elements

Surveys

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what surveys of public perceptions of his Department and of its areas of responsibility have taken place over the last 12 months; what the (a) title and (b) nature of these surveys was; what the findings of each survey were; where these findings have been published; what the cost of such surveys was; and if he will make a statement and place copies of the surveys in the Library.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office undertakes a wide range of research activities that support the development of information-led policy, including surveys of public perception and focus groups of the public that consider Home Office issues and its related areas of responsibility.
	The Department conducts or commissions such work only when it is justified by the specific needs of a particular policy or programme and when this is the most economical, efficient and effective way to achieve the purpose. Consulting and involving the public helps inform both policy formulation and the delivery of better quality public services.
	The available information on commissioned projects or surveys of public perception, including where these have been published is shown at Appendix 1. This table has also been placed in the Library. It has not been possible to provide detailed breakdown of costs of projects where this information is either not held centrally or is commercial in confidence.

Websites

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total annual cost of his Department's websites, including those of its agencies, was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Fiona Mactaggart: The details required were answered in a question from Matthew Taylor.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 11 May 2004, Official Report, column 235W.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Children's Centres

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will estimate the cost of establishing 1,000 children's centres by 2008.

Margaret Hodge: The Government are allocating £435 million in the current Spending Review period to develop children's centres and 43,000 new full day care places in disadvantaged areas. Local authorities are responsible for deciding how many centres to develop, but their current plans indicate that around 975 will be operational by March 2006. The Government are committed to establishing 1,700 children's centres by March 2008, serving all of the most disadvantaged areas in England. Funding for this expansion will be announced later in the year.

School Buildings

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what plans he has for (a) issuing guidance and (b) making it a statutory obligation that existing system built schools should have the level of compartmentation fire protection increased to meet the levels required by the current building regulations;
	(2)  what assessment has been made of the fire risk associated with CLASP and SCOLA buildings; and how many schools are constructed in this way;
	(3)  what plans he has to change the regulations for upgrading the level of compartmentation fire protection in system built structures such as those of CLASP and SCOLA design.

David Miliband: Exemption for schools from the Building Regulations ended in April 2001 and since that date all new building work at schools, including system built schools, has been subject to approval under the Building Regulations. The fire safety aspects of the Building Regulations are not retrospective.
	The Department is in the process of producing new guidance on fire safety for schools. Building Bulletin 100, "Designing against the risk of fire in Schools", will give guidance on the design of new schools as well as the refurbishment of existing schools to at least the current standards of the Building Regulations. The guide is comprehensive and stresses the value of using risk assessments as the basis for determining, for example, the types of fire alarm and detection systems needed in particular school buildings. It will be aimed at schools, local education authorities (LEAs), design consultants, building control bodies and the fire and rescue service. It is likely, subject to consultation, that the forthcoming revised Approved Document B accompanying the Building Regulations will refer to this guide for fire safety standards in schools.
	The Department does not have figures for how many schools were constructed using the CLASP or SCOLA systems. However, all LEAs have produced asset management plans covering all the maintained schools in their areas. These surveyed the condition, suitability and sufficiency of school buildings, and should have highlighted and prioritised any apparent health and safety problems associated with them. Fire safety issues would have been included and any obvious risks should have been addressed.
	The Department's primary concern is for the safety of pupils, teachers and other users. Regulation 17 of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 requires that every part of a school building, and of the land provided for a school, shall be such that the safe escape of the occupants in case of fire is reasonably assured. Schools also covered by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and by subsequent related regulations. These include aspects of fire safety.

11-year-olds (Crosby)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of 11-year-old students in Crosby area schools achieved expected levels in (a) mathematics and (b) reading in the latest year for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The number and percentage of pupils in Crosby who reached Level 4 or above at Key Stage 2 in (a) mathematics and (b) reading in 2003 are:
	
		
			  Number/Percentage 
		
		
			 Mathematics 
			 Crosby Number of pupils achieving Level 4 + 822 
			 Crosby Percentage of pupils achieving Level 4+ 86 
			 England Percentage of pupils achieving Level 4+ 73 
			   
			 Reading  
			 Crosby Number of pupils achieving Level 4 + 860 
			 Crosby Percentage of pupils achieving Level 4+ 90 
			 England Percentage of pupils achieving Level 4+ 81

A/AS Levels

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average A/AS points score per examination entry was (a) in Sefton and (b) in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The information requested is shown in table 1.
	
		Table 1: average point score per GCE A/AS entry (or vocational equivalent) 1999–2003
		
			  Sefton England 
		
		
			 1999 4.9 5.4 
			 2000 4.9 5.5 
			 2001 4.8 5.5 
			 2002 67.9 76.0 
			 2003 69.7 77.4 
		
	
	The points awarded for each grade are described in table 2. In 2002, the point scores were changed to reflect the new UCAS tariff. An AS level counts as half an A level.
	
		Table 2
		
			 Grade Points prior to 2002 Points since 2002 
		
		
			 A 10 120 
			 B 8 100 
			 C 6 80 
			 D 4 60 
			 E 2 40 
		
	
	I welcome the rising trend in national performance. This is of course a reflection of the hard work of students and the quality of their teachers.

Building Schools for the Future

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will take steps to allow (a) sixth-form colleges and (b) further education colleges to apply for funding under the Building Schools for the Future Programme; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: holding answer 7 June 2004
	Capital investment through Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is allocated for schools, rather than sixth-form colleges or further education colleges. However, the Government have recently committed their self to separate increases in post-16 learning and skills sector capital investment. Capital funds allocated to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) will increase to over £400 million in 2005–06. This is an increase of over 60 per cent. in real terms when compared to 2002–03.
	We are currently working closely with the LSC to join up investment for schools, sixth-form colleges and further education colleges. We are also encouraging local authorities and local LSCs to consult each other in formulating their proposals and plans for priority capital funding.

Careers Education and Guidance

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how he plans to ensure that impartial careers education and guidance are provided to all 13 to 19-year-olds as the wider range of options at Key Stage Four and beyond become available.

Margaret Hodge: Responsibility for the provision of careers education and guidance to 13 to 19-year-olds in England rests with schools and the Connexions Service. As the wider range of options at Key Stage Four and beyond becomes available, it will be important that STET young people are able to access good information and advice.
	We are currently undertaking a review to ensure to have appropriate arrangements in place which make sense in the new environment created by the reforms outlined in "Every Child Matters" and the development of children's trust.

Child Care

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many children in Stoke-on-Trent, North have benefited from the National Childcare Strategy; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many child care places have been created in Stoke-on-Trent, North since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: The Department is unable to provide details of child care places for Stoke-on-Trent, North. However, from April 1999 to March 2004, Stoke-on-Trent local authority created 3,660 new child care places helping some 6,451 children. This shows an increase in the stock of child care places, taking into account turnover of 2,169 helping some 3,895 children.

Child Care

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what qualifications in childcare are necessary (a) to be a registered childminder, (b) to work in a day nursery, (c) to work in a nursery school or class and (d) to work in a pre-school play group; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The national standards for under 8s day care and childminding require that:
	a childminder has completed a local authority approved childminder's pre-registration course and a first aid course within six months of commencing childminding;
	the manager in a registered day care setting, including pre-schools, play groups and day nurseries, and all supervisors where full day care is provided, have at least a level 3 qualification appropriate to the post;
	at least half of all other staff in a day care setting should hold a level 2 qualification appropriate for the care or development of children.
	Staff employed in a teaching capacity in a nursery school or nursery class in a maintained school, should have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Children's Health

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to introduce specialist training for teachers on children's health issues.

David Miliband: We do not prescribe any specialist training for teachers on children's health issues. We are however developing a common core of skills, knowledge and competence for members of the children and young people's workforce, including teachers, which will include safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We will consider in consultation with our partners how the common core will relate to initial teacher training, induction for newly qualified teachers and existing arrangements for professional development.

Class Sizes (Brighton and Hove)

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were in classes of 31 or more in infant schools and infant classes in primary schools in Brighton and Hove in each year since 1996–97.

Margaret Hodge: The available data is shown in the table.
	
		Maintained primary schools(49): number of pupils in key stage 1 classes of 31 or more pupils taught by one teacher. 1998–2004(provisional); position in January each year. Brighton and Hove Local Education Authority(50)
		
			   Number of pupils in classes of 31 or more 
			  Total pupils in all classes Number of pupils Percentage of pupils(51) 
		
		
			 1998 7,080 3,422 48.3 
			 1999 6,988 2,811 40.2 
			 2000 6,709 2,262 33.7 
			 2001 6,517 408 6.3 
			 2002 6,432 0 0.0 
			 2003 6,353 32 0.5 
			 2004(52) 6,795 31 0.5 
		
	
	(49) Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(50) Brighton and Hove became a unitary authority in April 1997 as a result of local government reorganisation.
	(51) Percentage of pupils in those classes expressed as a percentage of pupils in all classes taught by one teacher.
	(52) Provisional.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census.
	Final 2004 figures will be published in September.

Computers in Schools

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many computers each school in (a) Leyton and Wanstead, (b) the London Borough of Redbridge and (c) the London Borough of Waltham Forest has for the education of pupils; and how many each had in 1997.

David Miliband: The information requested is not available centrally.
	Figures for England, which were derived from a sample of schools, are shown in the table.
	
		Average number of computers per school (used solely or mainly for teaching and learning purposes) by type of school, England
		
			  Maintained 
			 Position as at 31 March: Primary Secondary Special 
		
		
			 1997 n/a n/a n/a 
			 1998 13.3 100.9 18.5 
			 2003 28.6 192.7 31.3 
		
	
	n/a=not available.
	The latest available information on ICT in schools was published in Statistical Bulletin, "Survey of Information and Communications Technology in Schools 2003", which is available on the Department's website: www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/

Computers in Schools

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils per computer there were in schools in (a) Merseyside and (b) Crosby in each year since 1996.

David Miliband: The information requested is not available centrally.
	Figures for England, which were derived from a sample of schools, are shown in the table.
	
		Average number of pupils(53) per computer (used solely or mainly for teaching and learning purposes) by type of school, England
		
			  Maintained 
			 Year end March: Primary Secondary Special 
		
		
			 1996 19.0 9.0 4.0 
			 1997 n/a n/a n/a 
			 1998 17.6 8.7 4.5 
			 1999 13.4 8.4 3.7 
			 2000 12.6 7.9 3.7 
			 2001 11.8 7.1 3.2 
			 2002 10.1 6.5 3.4 
			 2003 7.9 5.4 3.0 
		
	
	n/a=not available.
	(53) Full-time equivalent numbers of pupils.
	The latest information on ICT in schools was published in Statistical Bulletin, "Survey of Information and Communications Technology in Schools 2003", which is available on my Department's website: www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/

Departmental Administration Budgets

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made towards the 5 per cent. reduction in real terms in his Department's administration budget by 2008 announced by the Chancellor in the House on 17 March 2004, Official Report, column 331.

Charles Clarke: The real terms reduction of 5 per cent. or more will be a central feature of the public spending settlements for 2006–08 to be announced in detail later this year. Within the overall settlement for education announced in the Budget, the administration costs of the DfES will be reduced by more than 5 per cent. in real terms over the spending review period.

Departmental Policies (Stroud)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to the Stroud constituency, the effect of changes to departmental policy since 1997 on the Stroud constituency.

Charles Clarke: The constituency of Stroud falls within Gloucestershire Local Education Authority. Where the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) can or does collect information by constituency, it has been provided.
	Additional information could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, my Department is investigating ways in which we disseminate information about the effects of our policies at a local level. We hope to have systems to facilitate this in place later this year.
	Children, Young People and Families
	Early Education
	All three and four year olds throughout England are now guaranteed a free, part time, Government funded early education place if their parents want it. We understand that around 99 per cent. of four year olds, and over 94 per cent. of three year olds, are currently benefiting from some level of free early education in Gloucestershire.
	Childcare
	There has been a major expansion in childcare provision since 1997. We only have figures at local authority level, but at March 2004 we had created over 15,864 new childcare places in Gloucestershire since April 1999, benefiting 27,688 children. The current stock of childcare places (16,695) provides 16 childcare places per 100 children which is above the national average.
	Children's Social Services
	Children's social services in the constituency are delivered by Gloucestershire County Council. Gloucestershire is a two star social services authority with services for children and families assessed as serving most children well with promising prospects for improvement, which are higher ratings than were awarded in 2002. These judgements are set out in the annual review of Performance Ratings for Social Services in England published by the Chief Inspector of the Social Services Inspectorate in November 2003.
	Disadvantaged Area Programmes
	The Stroud constituency contains one Mini Sure Start Local Programme providing services for an identified 'pocket of deprivation' across Cam and Dursley. One Neighbourhood Nursery has opened in the constituency providing 50 full day care places, with another due to open in June 2004 which will offer a further 61 places.
	Gloucestershire County Council intends to create six children's centres building on existing provision, including two Sure Start Local Programmes in Cheltenham and Gloucester. The Council is not currently developing plans for a centre within the Stroud constituency, but it is working on ways of ensuring a consistent approach across 'pockets of deprivation' to ensure all children and families in all neediest parts of the County receive the same high standard of integrated early years support.
	Connexions
	Connexions, the Government's front line support service for all young people aged 13–19, is providing advice, guidance and support to young people in the Stroud constituency through Gloucestershire Connexions Partnership. Since its launch in April 2002 young people aged 13–19 have had access to support and advice on a range of issues to help them participate and achieve in education, employment and training and to reach their full potential as adults.
	Youth Services
	There is one local authority youth service in Gloucestershire The service was the subject of an Ofsted inspection in March 1998 and assessed to be a 'good' service. The service has fully embraced the Transforming Youth Work agenda.
	Extended Schools
	The Department is funding two delivery strands to support the development of extended schools. Gloucestershire is due to receive both strands in 2005–06 subject to the detailed allocations of resources from the outcome of the current Spending Review.
	Schools
	Recurrent Funding
	The estimated 1 increase in per pupil funding in real terms from 1997–98 to 2004–05 is £740 in Gloucestershire compared with the national average of £880.
	Capital Funding
	Gloucestershire LEA had an allocation of £28.5 million (including £8.3 million which is devolved directly to schools and £2.7 million in Targeted Capital funding) for 2003–04 compared with £12.2 million in 1996–97. Gloucestershire LEA has been allocated £34.6 million for 2004–05 (including £5 million in Targeted Capital funding). Some VA allocations have still to be included for 2004–05.
	School Performance Tables
	Key Stage (KS) figures can be found on the DfES website at: www.dfes.gov.uk/performancetables
	Class Sizes
	In Gloucestershire LEA the number of five, six and seven year olds in classes over 30 has fallen from 4,975 in 1997 to 156 by January 2003.
	Teachers
	In Gloucestershire LEA the number of teachers has risen by 670 (FTE from 1997 to 2003). There are 285 more teaching assistants and 821 more support staff than in 1997.
	Specialist Schools
	There are six specialist schools in the parliamentary constituency of Stroud and 27 specialist schools in Gloucestershire LEA.
	Education Action Zones
	Gloucester EAZ started in January 2000, and covers 25 schools: three secondary; 20 primary schools; one special school and one pupil referral unit. Gloucester EAZ transforms into an Excellence Cluster in January 2005.
	Results
	Between 2000–2003, there was no recorded improvement in those pupils that attended EAZ schools achieving 5 A*-C GCSEs (30 per cent. in both years). The LEA average improved by 4 points.
	Between 2000–2003, there was a significant improvement in pupils' performance at Key Stage 3. Those achieving Level 5+ in English, Maths and Science and attending EAZ schools rose by 20; 9 and 11 points respectively. The LEA average improved by 3; 5 and 9 points respectively.
	Between 2000–2003, pupils attending EAZ schools achieving L4+ in English, Maths and Science at Key Stage 2 rose by 1; 3 and 8 points respectively. The LEA average improved by 1; 4 and 4 points respectively.
	Between 2000–2003, pupils attending EAZ schools achieving L2+ in Reading, Writing and Maths only rose in Reading (4 points);
	achievement remained the same in the other subjects. The LEA average improved by 2 points in Reading, 1 point in Maths, but decreased by 2 points in Writing.
	Beacon Schools
	There are two beacon schools in the parliamentary constituency of Stroud and 15 beacon schools in Gloucestershire LEA.
	Primary Strategy Leadership
	Forty seven primary schools in Gloucestershire LEA are taking part in the Primary Strategy Leadership programme this year. Additional schools will be selected by the LEA to enter the programme in 2004–05.
	Leadership Incentive Grant
	Five Gloucestershire schools receive the Leadership Incentive Grant totalling £754,000 in the 2004–05 financial year. There are no schools in Stroud which meet the eligibility criteria for this grant.
	Behaviour Improvement Projects
	All secondary schools in Gloucestershire receive support from the Behaviour and Attendance strand of the Key Stage 3 Strategy, including a behaviour audit and training materials as well as support from specialist LEA-level consultants.
	14–19 Education
	The Government's strategy for 14–19 education and training, set out in 14–19:
	'opportunity and excellence', will provide all young people with the opportunity to continue their education in different settings, including schools, colleges, and the workplace.
	The impact of the 14–19 agenda on Stroud includes:
	16–19 Area Inspection (14–19 from March 2003)
	Gloucestershire as it is not a borough that has had an Area Inspection.
	Strategic Area Reviews (StARs)
	In April 2003, all local Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs) started strategic area reviews (StARs) of post-16 LSC-funded provision. These reviews aim to achieve the right mix of provision in an area to improve participation, raise attainment and improve learner choice. StARs will ensure that there is the breadth of opportunity and quality of provision to meet the needs of learners, employers and communities.
	All local LSCs have been gathering information, reviewing provider missions, and consequently building an understanding of each provider's role and the provision on offer. The next step is to develop strategic options.
	In the case of LSC Gloucestershire, good progress has been made locally on StAR. The data gathering and analysis phase has been completed and used to identify the particular issues in Stroud district. This has enabled work to begin on developing strategic options. These will be discussed with a cross section of partners and stakeholders within Stroud at a district event in June.
	It is anticipated that those attending will support the LSC in making sure all of the issues have been identified and provide input to build on the emerging options.
	The outcome of this process will be a final set of strategic options that will be launched for consultation later in the year with a final set of options in place within the next local annual plan in the spring of 2005.
	Vocational Provision
	Learners in the Stroud area have access to 14 work based learning providers—they cover a wide range of vocational programmes covering occupational areas/sectors which are significant to the sub regional economy including hotels and restaurants, warehousing and distribution, construction, business and administration, health and care, engineering and retail. The programmes are available through Entry to Employment, and Level 2 and Advanced Apprenticeships [Level 3] and include opportunities for learners with social and learning needs.
	In addition, Stroud College has worked in conjunction with eleven secondary schools and two specialist educational institutions to offer Year 10 and 11 pupils a range of high quality vocational programmes since September 2002. There are currently approx. 300 students on the programme. These have been jointly funded by the LSC, through the Increased Flexibility Initiative and by participating schools and Stroud College. A partnership steering group was formed at the outset and this meets on a termly basis to monitor and review the success of the programmes. Over the next two years it is planned to build on the achievements of the initiatives to date, focussing on the quality of teaching and learning, improving communication between all partners and building clear progression routes for students over the 14–19 age range.
	Educational Maintenance Allowances
	There are no EMA pilots in the Gloucestershire LEA area.
	Higher Education
	The number of 18–20 year olds permanently resident in Gloucester LEA accepted through UCAS to full-time first degree Higher Education courses (degree, HMD or foundation degree), are as follows:
	
		Gloucester LEA
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 2,631 
			 1998 2,618 
			 1999 2,601 
			 2000 2,748 
			 2001 2,721 
			 2002 2,832 
		
	
	Adult Education
	The Local Labour Force Survey shows that in Stroud:
	The proportion of working age people qualified to at least level four has fallen from 30.5 per cent. in 1999 to 23.2 per cent. in 2002.
	The proportion of working age people qualified to at least level 2 has risen from 66.0 per cent. in 1999 to 68.3 per cent. in 2002.
	The proportion of working age people without any qualification has fallen from 12.2 per cent. in 1999 to 11.0 per cent. in 2002.
	The proportion of working age people who received job related training in the last four weeks fell from 17.3 per cent. in 1999 to 11.0 per cent. in 2002.
	1 Includes provisional estimates of grants and allocations still to be confirmed. Total funding per pupil aged 3–19 includes Education Formula Spending (EPS) and all relevant grants in the DfES departmental Expenditure Limits but, for comparability, exclude the pensions transfer to Learning and Skills Council and EFS in 2003–04 and 2004–05. Real terms at 2002–03 prices.

Devon LEA

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost of school transport in Devon Local Education Authority was in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is contained in the following table:
	
		Cost of home to school/college transport -- £000
		
			  Gross transport expenditure Transport related parental contributions Net transport expenditure 
		
		
			 1996–97 14,200 518 13,682 
			 1997–98 15,379 581 14,798 
			 1998–99 13,866 534 13,332 
			 1999–2000 14,337 554 13,784 
			 2000–01 15,118 543 14,575 
			 2001–02 13,972 580 13,392 
			 2002–03 19,319 557 18,761 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The financial data are taken from Devon LEA's Section 52 Outturn Statement submitted to the DfES from 1999–2000 onwards and the ODPM's RO1 statement previously. 2002–03 data is subject to change by the LEA. Figures are in £000s in cash terms.
	2. Figures up to and including 1997–98 are for Devon LEA prior to local government reorganisation. From 1998–99 onwards parts of Devon LEA became Plymouth LEA and Torbay LEA.
	3. Total transport expenditure and parental contributions includes that incurred in relation to pre-primary, primary, secondary and special school education as well as in education out of school, continuing education and the management and support elements.

Easy to Read Publications

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will take steps to increase the number of books, magazines and newspapers available in large print, audio, Braille and electronic formats accessible to people with a visual impairment, dyslexia or other reading disability; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: We are already taking a number of steps to ensure this issue is addressed. We have extended the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to include duties on local authorities and education institutions to improve access for disabled learners. Over £600 million will be made available over the period 2001–02 to 2005–06 to support access improvements. Officials at the Department of Trade and Industry have been in discussion with the Right to Read Alliance and the Publishers Association about the possibility of a central deposit of electronic versions of all new material published in this country. Officials have worked with the RNIB and copyright owners to reduce delays in gaining copyright clearance, when making accessible copies of printed materials and supported the establishment of the Reveal database which provides information about accessible resources.

Education Support Staff (Greater London)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many education support staff there were in Greater London in each of the last 10 years, broken down by borough.

David Miliband: holding answer 7 June 2004
	The following table shows the full-time equivalent number of support staff employed in local education authorities in the Greater London area for each year between 1994 and 2003, the latest information available.
	
		Support staff employed in local education authorities in Greater London
		
			  1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 London 16,760 16,750 17,990 19,100 20,000 21,500 23,600 27,000 31,000 32,300 
			 City of London(54) 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 — 10 
			 Camden 440 420 460 490 520 540 580 670 750 750 
			 Greenwich 580 630 700 730 770 800 900 1,080 1,220 1,220 
			 Hackney 470 450 460 490 520 530 620 710 830 900 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 330 350 370 390 400 390 470 490 590 590 
			 Islington 440 440 470 480 470 510 580 640 720 770 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 250 260 290 310 300 310 340 370 400 430 
			 Lambeth 660 680 700 690 730 780 890 980 1,110 1,090 
			 Lewisham 570 550 600 650 700 770 830 930 1,050 1,150 
			 Southwark 630 630 710 760 830 890 1,050 1,190 1,320 1,360 
			 Tower Hamlets 690 710 810 850 870 950 1,020 1,290 1,570 1,520 
			 Wandsworth 810 750 760 770 840 850 960 980 1,090 1,170 
			 Westminster 360 370 350 370 390 410 410 450 610 600 
			 Barking and Dagenham 420 440 490 540 560 580 590 700 790 820 
			 Barnet 700 720 780 810 860 920 990 1,090 1,270 1,220 
			 Bexley 400 420 470 510 550 640 710 780 920 1,000 
			 Brent 510 500 540 600 640 710 760 840 960 930 
			 Bromley 550 520 570 630 660 720 780 900 990 1,090 
			 Croydon 740 780 860 910 920 1,020 1,090 1,280 1,420 1,440 
			 Ealing 700 620 630 680 700 740 790 920 1,030 1,040 
			 Enfield 560 580 650 730 790 850 940 1,080 1,330 1,460 
			 Haringey 600 600 590 630 640 670 700 830 1,010 1,040 
			 Harrow 520 510 550 570 580 600 650 700 760 800 
			 Havering 430 490 550 580 580 640 700 770 870 960 
			 Hillingdon 700 680 750 800 870 900 980 1,110 1,250 1,290 
			 Hounslow 580 560 590 630 620 650 690 770 880 870 
			 Kingston upon Thames 280 290 310 330 340 370 410 450 510 580 
			 Merton 390 380 400 420 450 490 500 580 660 660 
			 Newham 520 590 630 700 760 940 1,190 1,520 1,740 2,010 
			 Redbridge 560 510 570 600 640 700 830 920 1,080 1,140 
			 Richmond upon Thames 270 270 290 290 310 310 320 350 410 420 
			 Sutton 330 360 380 420 450 500 50 590 660 700 
			 Waltham Forest 740 660 710 740 780 810 860 1,020 1,170 1,230 
		
	
	(54) City of London did not make a return in 2002
	Note:
	Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools.
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census

Educational Standards

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of pupils in Greater London, broken down by local education authority, reached the (a) mathematics and (b) English standard in each of the last seven years;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of 11-year-old pupils in Greater London, broken down by local education authority, reached level four in (a) mathematics and (b) English in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Library. The table includes the figures for English, mathematics and science for all local education authorities in England, 1997–2003.

Excellence in Cities

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Stoke-on-Trent, North have benefited from the Excellence in Cities programme; and what the per pupil spending was in each year since the programme's inception.

David Miliband: The table shows the number of children in Stoke-on-Trent North benefiting from EiC, and the annual spend per pupil for the years in question.
	
		£
		
			  Number of children Total EiC expenditure(55) Spend per pupil 
		
		
			 2000–01 4,742 263,890 55.65 
			 2001–02 4,673 483,160 103.39 
			 2002–03 4,799 511,690 106.62 
			 2003–04 4,799 1,845,670 384.59 
		
	
	(55) All funding figures supplied by Stoke on Trent Excellence in Cities Team

Failing Schools (Surrey)

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Surrey have been classified as failing in each year since 1996–97.

David Miliband: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, will write to the right hon. Member and place a copy of his letter in the Library.

GCSEs

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 15 and 16-year-olds in Greater London, broken down by local education authority, achieved five or more GCSEs at grade A*-C or GNVQ equivalent in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

GCSEs

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  whether vocational GCSE grades are included when calculating the average point scores of pupils in England;
	(2)  what the average point score of GCSE pupils was in England over the past five years.

David Miliband: The information requested is as follows:
	The first GCSEs in vocational subjects will be taken this summer and the point scores will be included in the 2004 performance tables.
	
		The average point score(56) of 15 2-year-old pupils
		
			 Academic year England 
		
		
			 1999 38.1 
			 2000 38.9 
			 2001 39.3 
			 2002 40.1 
			 2003 40.9 
		
	
	(56) The figures include GCSE average point scores and GNVQ equivalencies.
	(57) Pupils are aged 15 at the start of the academic year ie 31 August.

Head Teachers

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations the Government have received about the mandatory requirement for head teachers to join the General Teaching Council; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: As far as I am aware, the Government have not received any formal representations on this matter. The present facts are that any qualified teacher, whether they be classroom teachers or part of the senior management team, are required to register with the GTC and that all head teachers are currently required to have Qualified Teacher Status.

Implementation Review Unit

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) start-up costs and (b) projected running costs for the next three financial years are of the Implementation Review Unit.

David Miliband: holding answer 10 June 2004
	The start-up costs of the Implementation Review Unit were £108,473.
	In 2003–04, the actual running cost of the Implementation Review Unit was £348,967. For 2004–05, the Implementation Review Unit has a budget of up to £500,000. Budgets beyond April 2005 have not been decided yet.

Key Stage 2

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of primary schools has achieved 100 per cent. of its pupils reaching Level 4 in reading in the Key Stage 2 SAT tests.

David Miliband: In the 2003 National Curriculum assessment tests for Key Stage 2, 9.7 per cent. of schools achieved 100 per cent. of its pupils reaching Level 4 or above.

Learning Disabilities

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions his Department is holding on learning disabilities in children.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 10 June 2004
	Ministers and officials from my Department regularly meet organisations which represent learning disabled children and their families to ensure that their interests are reflected in the development of our policies for children. The Department's Board of Stakeholders, which I chair, includes the Director of the Council for Disabled Children (CDC) and the Chair of the Special Educational Consortium, which represents a large number of voluntary organisations in the learning disability field.
	Many of these organisations responded to the Green Paper "Every Child Matters" and my ministerial colleague Baroness Ashton recently met representatives of the CDC, the Disability Rights Commission and the Learning Disability Task Force, on which the Department is represented, to discuss the implementation of Every Child Matters with regard to the needs of disabled children.
	The new special educational needs (SEN) strategy "Removing Barriers to Achievement", which we published in February, will complement Every Child Matters and the Children Bill. It puts forward a strategy to improve provision for all children with SEN, including those with learning disabilities. It is a long-term strategy which was developed after discussions with a number of organisations, including ones which represent the interests of children with learning disabilities and we will involve such groups as the strategy develops. For example, we will be working with the voluntary sector to develop practical tools for involving children, including those with learning disabilities, in decisions about their own education and local SEN services.
	The strategy also complements other relevant policies, where we are also working with learning disability organisations. For example, we are working with them on the Children's National Service Framework through the External Working Group on disabled children and the Working Group on 14–19 reform is consulting these groups through an SEN and Equal Opportunities sub group. The Department will continue to work with the voluntary sector so that children with learning disabilities are provided with the services which will give them the opportunity to realise their potential.

Mathematics

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students who studied mathematics at (a) GCSE, (b) A-Level and (c) degree level went on to (i) teach mathematics in schools and (ii) pursue other careers in each of the last five years.

David Miliband: The exact information requested is not held centrally, but latest figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that 94 per cent. of newly qualified PGCE students in 2001/02 who had undergraduate degrees in mathematics entered employment as teaching professionals.

Pupil Funding

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding was spent per pupil in Blackpool, North and Fleetwood in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is submitted to the Department according to local education authority areas rather than constituency level and as such the figures provided are for Blackpool LEA.
	
		Net current expenditure -- £
		
			  Pre-primary education Primary education Pre- primary and primary Secondary education Special 
		
		
			 1996–97 n/a n/a 1,800 2,590 15,990 
			 1997–98 n/a n/a 1,820 2,630 17,320 
			 1998–99 n/a n/a 1,900 2,510 15,270 
			 1999–2000 0 2,160 2,240 2,810 13,810 
			 2000–01 0 2,310 2,320 3,030 20,700 
			 2001–02 0 2,670 2,900 3,320 16,280 
			 2002–03 — 2,840 — 3,430 — 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The financial data are taken from local education authorities' section 52 Outturn Statement submitted to the DfES from 1999–2000 onwards and the ODPM's RO1 statement previously. 2002–03 data subject to change by the LEA. Expenditure was not distinguished between pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of the section 52 outturn statement in 1999–2000. Hence, for consistency, the combined unit cost is provided since 1996–97 but due to problems outlined below (in footnote 4) the unit cost for primary education is a more robust measure.
	2. Prior to local government reorganisation (LGR) in 1998–99 Blackpool LEA was part of Lancashire LEA. Consequently figures for 1996–97 and 1997–98 are for pre-LGR Lancashire LEA and figures for 1998–99 onwards are for Blackpool LEA.
	3. Spending in 1997–98 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1998–99. 1999–2000 figures reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance.
	4. The outturn 2002–03 tables captured the data in a fundamentally different way to the previous years. Categories were aligned with the Consistent Financial Reporting framework and the spending by LEAs was no longer split by school sector. Consequently the unit costs per pupil in 2002–03 are not strictly comparable with earlier years as they include an apportionment of LEA expenditure based on pupil numbers. Figures are rounded to the nearest £10.
	5. Net current expenditure (NCE) includes expenditure within schools and also that incurred centrally by the LEA.
	6. The NCE per pupil figures for pre-primary and primary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in the pre-primary sector and maintained primary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained nursery and primary schools sector. Blackpool LEA has no maintained nursery schools but does spend a significant amount of money on the pre-primary sector (around £2.8 million in 2001–02). This additional expenditure on the pre-primary sector has the effect of inflating the combined pre-primary/primary unit cost as it includes expenditure on both pre-primary and primary education divided only by the pupils in maintained primary schools.
	7. The NCE per pupil figures for secondary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained secondary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained secondary schools sector.
	8. The NCE per pupil figures for special schools relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained special schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained special schools sector.
	9. Pupil data are drawn from the Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

Pupil Referral Units

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) total cost and (b) average cost per attendee was of pupil referral units in each of the last three years.

David Miliband: The available information is contained within the following table. Since we do not collect expenditure information about PRUs alone, we cannot calculate a unit cost:
	
		Net current expenditure on education out of school
		
			  Net current expenditure (£) Pupils attending PRUs 
		
		
			 2000–01 211,149,747 9,019 
			 2001–02 225,309,786 9,734 
			 2002–03 244,210,864 11,322 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The financial data are taken from local education authorities' Section 52 Outturn Statements submitted to the DfES. 2002–03 data is subject to change by the LEA.
	2. Pupil data are drawn from the Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.
	3. Education out of school includes any provision for pupils who because of exclusion, illness or other reasons receive education out of school settings; the implementation of behaviour support plans; home-tuition; individual teaching of sick children in hospital; education in social service establishments; and expenditure on Pupil Referral Units (PRUs).
	4. The count of pupils attending PRUs excludes those pupils who are also registered at a mainstream or special school.

School Funding

Claire Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much Government spending there was on each (a) primary school pupil and (b) secondary school pupil in Watford in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2004.

David Miliband: The information requested is submitted to the Department according to local education authority areas rather than districts within an area. Watford is a district of Hertfordshire Local Education Authority. The information for Hertfordshire LEA is as follows:
	
		Net current expenditure per pupil -- £
		
			  Primary education Pre-primary and primary education Secondary education 
		
		
			 1997–98 n/a 1,850 2,670 
			 1998–99 n/a 1,990 2,800 
			 1999–2000 2,060 2,110 2,770 
			 2000–01 2,240 2,310 2,950 
			 2001–02 2,520 2,590 3,250 
			 2002–03 2,800 2,880 3,550 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The financial data are taken from Hertfordshire LEA's Section 52 outturn statement submitted to the DfES from 1999–2000 onwards and the ODPM's RO1 statement previously. Spending in 1997–98 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government in 1998–99. 1999–2000 figures reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance. Expenditure was not distinguished between pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of the Section 52 outturn statement in 1999–2000.
	2. The outturn 2002–03 tables captured the data in a fundamentally different way to the previous years. Categories were aligned with the Consistent Financial Reporting framework and the spending by LEAs was no longer split by school sector. Consequently the unit costs per pupil in 2002–03 are not strictly comparable with earlier years as they include an apportionment of LEA expenditure based on pupil numbers. 2002–03 data is subject to change by the LEA and is the latest data available. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	3. Net current expenditure (NCE) includes expenditure within schools and also that incurred centrally by the LEA.
	4. The NCE per pupil figures for pre-primary and primary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in the pre-primary sector and maintained primary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained nursery and primary schools sector.
	5. The NCE per pupil figures for secondary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained secondary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained secondary schools sector.
	6. Pupil data are drawn from the Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

School Meals

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when Ofsted will publish its report on school meal provision.

David Miliband: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of his letter in the Library.

School Sports

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been invested in Stoke-on-Trent North to build long-term school sports facilities since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We do not hold information in the form requested. The bulk of capital funding is allocated to local education authorities and schools by formula and it is for them to invest this funding to meet priorities identified in their local asset management plan.
	We do not hold allocation information at constituency level, but the table shows total capital funding allocated to Stoke-on-Trent.
	
		Stoke LEA capital allocations  -- £000
		
			  Amount 
		
		
			 1997–98 1,381 
			 1998–99 4,629 
			 1999–2000 (58)97,773 
			 2000–01 9,154 
			 2001–02 10,510 
			 2002–03 11,598 
			 2003–04 11,333 
			 2004–05 13,825 
		
	
	(58) Includes £93 million in Private Finance Initiative credits.

Secondary Schools (Kent)

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the arrangements for parents in Kent to choose secondary schools; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: At the request of Kent local education authority, the Secretary of State imposed a co-ordinated admissions scheme on the Kent area on 9 September 2003. The scheme is primarily about the admissions process, rather than admission arrangements for individual schools, and it will remain in place until the LEA and schools agree on a replacement scheme. As the scheme is administered by the LEA, it, along with the schools in the area, is best placed to evaluate the way it has worked and we are keen to hear their assessment of this. We will, therefore, be asking the LEA for statistical data and feedback when its administration of the main part of the process is complete for this year.

Special Educational Needs

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many hours of training qualified teachers receive in relation to identifying, managing and teaching special educational needs in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools per year; what requirements exist for such training to be provided; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Qualified teachers are expected to identify their development needs through performance management arrangements and to address identified needs, including improving their teaching skills in the area of special education needs, by undertaking appropriate professional development.
	Information on take-up of professional development by teachers is not collected centrally.

Statistics

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will estimate the (a) number and (b) average pay of (i) teachers and (ii) all other education staff in (A) 1997, (B) now and (C) 2011.

David Miliband: The information available is given in the following table. The table shows the full-time equivalent (FTE) number of teachers, teachers' average salary and FTE numbers of support staff in maintained schools in England in each of the years. Information on school support staff pay is not collected centrally. Estimates of the number and average pay of teachers and other education support staff in 2011 have not been made.
	
		
			  Teachers (number) Teacher average salary(59) (£) Support staff (number) 
		
		
			 1997 399,200 21,770 136,500 
			 2002 419,600 28,720 217,000 
			 2004(60) 427,800 — 241,700 
		
	
	(59) Teachers in England and Wales. 2002 is the most recent year for which pay data are available.
	(60) Provisional data.
	Source:
	Annual 618G survey, Database of Teacher Records and Annual Schools Census.

Sure Start

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what account he is taking of the new Index of Multiple Deprivation in decisions relating to the roll-out of Sure Start projects.

Margaret Hodge: It is important that the future implementation of Sure Start Children's Centres is based on the most up to date information on deprivation. The Sure Start Unit has commissioned analysis to help consider how to use the new Index of Multiple of Deprivation so we continue to target the most disadvantaged children and families effectively. This work should be complete by the early autumn.

Teacher Recruitment

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people joined the teaching profession after university in 2003; and what plans he has to increase the number of people interested in joining the teaching profession.

David Miliband: holding answer 10 June 2004
	Between March 2001 and March 2002, 18,200 newly qualified teachers entered full-time or part-time service in the maintained sector in England. These teachers gained qualified teacher status in calendar year 2001 either through an initial teacher training course or other approved route. A further 10,100 entered service in the maintained sector for the first time having qualified before 2001. This is the latest information available.
	There are a number of schemes designed to encourage people to consider teaching as a potential career option. These range from taster schemes that give people the opportunity to work in a classroom environment before making a commitment to financial incentives such as Golden Hello and Training Bursaries. Thanks to the continued success of these and other schemes, teacher numbers are at their highest level since 1981. The Government remain committed to attracting good quality people into teaching and encouraging them to remain in the profession.